Sweet Revenge
by Scorpina
Summary: Amai Mask was left in the subbasement of the Heroes Association to think about what he had done. His cell door opened as he was escorted upstairs to be punished. All of S and M Class are there, waiting for him. Question is, how do you make one of your top heroes pay the price for his crime?
1. Chapter 1

Sweet revenge.

Chapter 1

He was kept in the subbasement of the Heroes Association.

Amai Mask has fallen from grace.

He couldn't quite understand it himself. He knows of his own great power, and yet, he couldn't handle what Garou possesses? "It's impossible to think such a thing, but he's stronger than me?" he asked himself. Since then, he has waited. Despite the fact he could easily break out of the cell they placed him into, Amai knew to bide his time. After all, the public didn't know that the giant monster that nearly destroyed a city was him. They weren't aware of the situation at hand, as far as they knew it was just a regular level dragon threat monster.

Not their hero and idol.

Still, he sat and waited for them to be summoned. The association will have his rank for certain, but he is still hoping that there would be a way to maintain it. He would be almost willing to do anything! His train of thought broke as the cell door opened. He looked up to see Flash and Darkshine standing there. "Let's go." Said Darkshine. "We're waiting for you."

He calmly stood up and was escorted to the upper levels of the association. Then down into a new room on level 7, Amai entered. He cringed at the sight though. Not only were most of the S Class were in the room, but all of the M Class and the new A Class Rank 1. Hunter kept his back to the wall, and yet, he stared at Amai oddly. Not quite a judgmental look, but one of perhaps trying to figure him out.

"Sit," growled Garou.

Amai took the closest chair and sat himself down. Out of all the people to lecture him, it had to be the punkass kid. The one he wanted to kill back in the day for all that he had done, and yet, this day, he's the one who stands taller than him. He even has the right to kill him if he saw fit. Amai kept his head low, almost refusing to look up. Sitch took control of the room as he called for order. "We need to decide now, what to do with him." Said Sitch. "We have already determined that for the next while, he will be out of the public limelight. No movies, studio time, concerts, albums, TV shows. Nothing!"

"Take away his rank!" announced Tatsumaki. "Make him pay for all he did, and he has the audacity to look down at us! Humph!"

"I can agree with that," said Atomic Samurai. "With him gone, my disciples can finally move up into S Class."

"I wouldn't be too sure," said Hunter.

The room paused and turned to Hunter, the once happy go lucky kid has become a serious young man. "With all due respect Atomic, they are not ready for the S Class."

Atomic sneered at him. "I don't know where you get off thinking that kid…"

"I have seen their skills. Together yes, they would nearly equal one S Class hero. However… the way I see it, one has to stand on their own and take down a threat on their own to be an S Class hero. They cannot always depend on each other as back up, and they need to stand their own ground. Look around you. Everyone in S Class is capable of such a task, even Child Emperor. Are your disciples?"

There was an odd silence in the room, Atomic wanted to continue arguing but Sitch forced the subject along. "I will revert back to our pervious discussion. Amai Mask needs to be punished. However, I am not willing to just let him leave the association, he has done wrong, there is no doubt, but he has done good as well as Sweet Mask."

"Perhaps this isn't our choice to make," said Bang. "The ones most affected by this were the M Class Dragons. Amai even went as far as nearly eating one of them!"

Suddenly the room began to back away oddly from Amai. "You sick bastard!" said Metal Bat.

"Tell me about it," said Snek.

"With that being said, I will let the M Class decide on the punishment." Said Sitch.

Amai felt his heart racing in his chest. This was it. Garou and his family will end his hero career right here and now. After everything he has put the family through, trying to dismantle the M Class, confronting the heroes who were halfway turned into monsters, it will all factor in his punishment. He would no longer be able to claim the top rank of A Class or even go into the S Class when he felt the time was right. Now, it will all come crashing down before him.

It was the only time he looked up, to stare into the eyes of Garou who was glaring down at him. There was not emotion on the human monster's face, just this dark and empty stare into the soul of Amai Mask. Tatsumaki was already grinning with anticipation. "Oooo, Make it good freak boy! Make him suffer!" she said.

A low growl escaped Garou. "He possessed my body, tried to sleep with my mate, insulted my children, threatened my children and tried to eat Snek"

"EW!" announced Puri-Puri Prisoner.

"I… I…" Amai stuttered.

Garou thought long and hard about it, but then he turned to Melee. She gave but one nod of her head to him. "We will decide on a punishment for Amai Mask, yet, as it stands now, we want him to remain in the A Class. We want to ensure he still has a rank." He said.

The room fell dead silent, so much so you could hear a pin drop. Even Pig God stopped eating!

"WHAT!" demanded all of S Class and most of the M Class.

"I'm… still an A Class hero?" Sweet Mask asked, bewildered to say the least.

Sitch was the most surprised out of everyone there. "Garou?" he questioned.

Garou looked about the room and then back at Amai. "I know what power does to you when you get a taste of it and crave more. I know how it can corrupt your senses and ideas to befit what you turn into. What I possess is not something everyone or anyone can truly handle unless they have gone through the hell I have. It also helps that I have people to turn to when this becomes difficult. Amai didn't and doesn't. He couldn't control himself, I won't hold that against him…"

"Garou… he tried to EAT ME!" protested Snek.

"I know he did, and I promise you, he will pay for that dearly. But for now, at this time, I will hold off on his punishment. But I do have something I need to say. The soothsayer who turned out to be a monster, gave on final prediction before she was… taken care of." Said Garou as he muffled a burp.

He leaned down and stared at Amai, "In shoes he cannot follow, beyond the miles he must walk. To atone for his actions, and the people he mocked. Until 2 of the days of 31 pass, he who is wronged will stand tall at last."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" questioned King.

"It is a riddle no doubt," said Genos.

"31 days? This prediction will happen in 31 days?" questioned Snitch.

"Who can say for certain…" muttered Garou. "For now, I am going to leave it at that."

"That's it?" demanded Snek. "Nothing more!? HE TRIED TO EAT ME!"

"Snek, please…" Melee said calmly.

Snek hissed lowly as Amai smiled, he stood up from his chair. He felt as if a great weight was lifted off his shoulders. He can still be a hero! "Well, this was most unexpected from the likes of you Garou, but thank you for your clear judgment and not allowing our past to hinder what is right for the association."

Garou only smiled wickedly. "Oh, I wouldn't be thanking me!" There was a flash of evil that came over his eyes, Amai was startled but knew not to say anything more. It was time to leave while he could. He left the association and went back home to City R. Tonight; he will be able to sleep in his own bed!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The first thing he did was shower. Amai stripped away the clothing he had been forced to wear for nearly a week straight, he could finally change out of them and put on something fresh. But first, he needed to clean himself off. Perhaps at the same time he could try washing away the disgusting look everyone gave him at the meeting. Yet in the shower, he couldn't help but ponder over what Garou said and the Soothsayer's final words. He knows they were directed at him, but what did it mean?

He didn't really care for the moment. All that mattered was the hot water and the cleansing sensation that washed over his body. With his shower done, he placed on his favorite robe and walked out on to the balcony.

Amai Mask took in the smell of the night air. He savored it for it tasted like freedom. He thought for certain Garou would have taken everything from him, his rank and hero status. However, he found himself surprised, as Garou didn't do anything of the sort. Granted, he was reduced to Rank 2 now, but Rank 1 is easy to reclaim. It won't be long until Hunter takes his promotion into S Class, in fact, he thought he would have done so during the meeting. And yet, he remains in Class A Rank 1.

The Association has placed Amai under house arrest as well, he can leave when he has heroic duties to fill, however he is no longer allow to go out and do any movies, shows, modeling or music until farther notices.

"It's as if they are giving me a vacation!" he said with a smirk on his face. "I could use the down time."

Venturing back inside, he wondered about his apartment suite, wondering what to do with his time off. Or was that part of the punishment? Would it drive him stir crazy? Would he go mad out of boredom? But then, he remembered what Garou said. He was still going to punish him, but never mentioned as to how he would go about doing it! Curiosity got the better of Amai Mask, he began to put himself in Garou's shoes, wondering what he would do, how he would go about doing it. A mere beating wouldn't be sufficient; after all, he recovers rather quickly from many wounds. So that wouldn't do.

What if he is kept at Rank 2? Hunter has more than enough strength to stand in the top of A Class, would that be punishment enough?

Then, he kept thinking of what he did to Snek. He nearly went through with the deed of eating him alive because he couldn't handle the hunger of Garou's body. No doubt there will be hell to pay for that, and yet, Garou never mentioned any of it!

"What are you planning?' Mask asked aloud.

Then, there was the meeting, and what Garou claimed to be the soothsayer's final words. They still haunted him, but he tried to ignore the sensation.

Perhaps he wouldn't put too much thought into it, after all, what could Garou do? What's the worst he could try and pull on him? Either way, Amai Mask was prepared. He would be ready for what is in store and could handle anything thrown his way!

"Whatever you have in store, Garou. Rest assured. I'm ready for it!" Amai yawned aloud, he stretched himself out, showered once more and got ready for bed. Tomorrow will be the first day of his forced vacation.

It will be one to remember!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Amai Mask didn't sleep.

The night became a strange one to endure. He felt as if his skin was crawling, his legs were restless and everything just felt strange to him. Despite the fact he wasn't scheduled to do anything, he maintained his alarm. It went off just as he planned, and yet as he reached for it, he felt the world was a blur. His head ached, his body was sore and yet he found himself oddly cold. He resisted the urge to get up for the moment, he couldn't bring himself too until the chill got too much to ignore. He felt his body wasn't even covered by the blanket he placed over himself. "What is with this blanket?" he muttered.

He threw off the covers, when he saw it. Amai's heart raced in his chest. There were no legs under the blanket. Only a serpent tail!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Amai shot up off the bed oddly, bracing the wall as he kept staring down at the snake tail! His body was covered in light blue scales with a black diamond like pattern on them; his underbelly a light cream color, he shook his head to the whole thing. "No, no, no, no, no!" He fell out of bed, and yet couldn't bring himself to move. He didn't know how to move in this new body! He needed help! Yes, someone could help him! A doctor… exorsist… anyone! He crawled around until he reached the table where his jacket rested on the chair, he sifted through the pockets desperately until he found his phone. He opened it to call a doctor of sorts, but then froze. "I would have to leave the apartment… the world would see me like this… I can't do that!" he tried to think. He continued to drag himself over the floor, and yet growled, despite how far he has crawled his body was so long that he dragged behind him nothing more than dead weight. "This… is not good…" he muttered.

Yet as he crawled across the floor, he heard an odd tapping sound. He was on the top floor of his condo complex, who the hell could be….

He froze at the thought, slowly, he turned and saw Hunter standing out his window. He smirked evilly before waving at Amai Mask. "I see you got your wakeup call!"

"YOU! YOU'RE FAMILY DID THIS TO ME DIDN'T THEY?" Mask roared.

Hunter thought it over and gave a nod. "Yeah, probably." With his esper power he unlocked the door and invited himself in. Hunter was still smiling from ear to ear. "So, this is but a start of what is going to be happening. For you see, you are going to give Snek a vacation!" Hunter explained.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"It's his birthday today, we've been planning this ever since we stopped you, but we have yet to punish you, as well as make certain Snek gets his justice. So, what better way for you two to switch. Snek will be human for the next four months. You… will be that!"

Amai froze. "Four… four months?" he asked in disbelief.

Hunter nodded. "When two days of 31 have passed. October and December are the only two months with 31 days. So…. Today is September 1… that's 4 months you are going to give Snek a much needed break!"

Amai shook his head. "No, you can't do this! You cannot do this to me, anything but this!" he begged.

"The deed is done, beyond my control anyways. So, I suggest if you want to take a few things from home, pack them now."

Amai slowly picked himself up off the ground, even trying to appear standing was odd to him. Uncertain to his posture, he braced himself close to the table near by. "What do you mean pack? I am not leaving his room!" he said defiantly.

"Oh, no, you are" Hunter explained. "You are moving in with us for the next four months, just so we can keep a close eye on you and you don't do anything stupid."

Amai glared at him. "This was it, wasn't it? The punishment your father had in store for me?" he questioned.

"Partly." Hunter said, but smiled. "Mainly, this was for Snek's Birthday and Christmas present."

Amai hissed yet instantly covered his mouth when he heard the snake sound escape from him. "Now, as I said before, pack some things for comfort, I am taking you back home with me now."

Amai didn't move, he couldn't move, he didn't know how! Hunter had to explain to him how to slither, he even used one of his own serpents on his arms to demonstrate. It took a moment for Mask to get the hang of it, eventually he learned and was able to move about. Once he figured out how to move, he paused and turned to Hunter with a sneer on his face. "I am still not leaving this spot! I don't care what you say, I refuse to move!" he announced and crossed his arms defiantly. "Besides, why would I go and live in the squalor that is your home? Huh? I have standards."

Hunter gave a half smirk. He merely stared at Amai as he suddenly began to glow green. Sweet Mask followed and began to flow as well! When he began to feel his body lift up off the ground, he instantly changed his tune. "Okay! I'll gather a few things!" he said begrudgingly. Hunter put him back down as he packed. He reached under his bed for a suitcase, as he packed he kept turning and glaring at Hunter. He took some shirts, sweaters, blankets, cellphone, pillows, various products for his skin and notebooks with him, from there he signed and nodded.

Hunter lifted him up once more with his things and flew him back home. "You got some set of pipes, we heard your scream all the way up the mountain!"

"Shut up." Amai muttered.

They were at the mountain in no time, Hunter was the first to walk in the door but held it open for Amai Mask. He reluctantly slithered in, yet cringed at the first person he saw.

Snek… and he was grinning from ear to ear.

"Why is he still here if he's human again!" Amai demanded.

"You think I was going to miss this moment?" Snek demanded. "Like hell I would! I hope you enjoy your little… vacation… Sweet Mask. I'm going to enjoy mine!" Snek turned to Garou and Melee and gave an appreciative nod. "Thank you… for this and for everything." He said gratefully.

"You'll be coming by to visit, also we are requesting you hold back on the heroics, take this time for you Snek. You've earned it. Besides, we got your stunt double here to pick up the slack!" Garou said with a sinister grin.

Amai was fuming. "You… think this is all amusing, don't you?!" he demanded.

"Absolutely!" said Suiryu. Amai jumped to the voice, not realizing the others sitting around and witnessing all this.

"I cannot wait and see how long it takes you to crack!" said Max.

Sweet Mask hissed once more before he slithered off, he found Snek's room and decided to hide in there for a while. He sneered at it all. "I bet they didn't even replace the mattress…" he muttered.

As he slithered deeper into the room, he cringed. A part of him was thinking it was all a bad dream, or a really bad joke on Garou's part. What lesson was this supposes to teach him? What purpose was this punishment? It made no sense to him. Amai dropped his things about the room. He didn't bother to place anything in order, he had no intention of staying.

No, for now, he will bide his time. There was no other choice.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He laid in the room for most of the day, refusing to come out or acknowledge anyone else in the house, or whoever came by his door. A gently knock came. "Go away" he said begrudgingly.

"We got to talk."

He paused when he heard the voice of Melee, reluctantly he stood and opened the door to let her in. She was quick to close it afterwards and leaned against it. Amai was rather surprised to see her, and uncertain to her motives. "What did you need to talk to me about?"

Melee looked in in the eyes and said. "You are a guest here, in this house. No one here is your servant, no one here is to wait on you, and you pull your own weight." She said. "And if you so much as harm anyone who is under this roof that is family or my friend, I swear to God, I will turn you into a snake skin suit myself!"

He smirked. "Do you really think I am going to do anything to anyone here? Look at me damn it!" he protested. "Why are you even doing this? What is the point of this hell you want me to live in for four months?"

"Simple really, empathy." She said. "You have always looked down at us, at the M Class without seeing what we go through, what we live through. You came at Snek rather hard for being the way he is. Now we get to see if you can handle it."

Amai laughed. "I can easily endure. You forget Melee, I am strong, far stronger than Snek ever was or ever will be. No doubt I have my strength from my human state, and in this form, it's just greater!" he announced. He then stared Melee dead in the eyes. "Do you really think this is going to bother me, the least bit?" he asked.

She only smiled. "You've only been like this for three hours," she explained. "Let's see how you feel by the end of the week." She turned to leave, but paused. "You are going to want to eat something soon."

"What do you have here?" he asked. "I could eat."

She laughed. "Oh this is going to be fun." She said and then sighed. "Well, I'll let you learn the hard way, come on."

He was confused by her tone, yet he slithered out of the room and went into the kitchen. Within the fridge reserved for Suiryu and Max, he found some items of interest. One happened to be a ham cooked the night before. He took it from the fridge and yet paused at the sight of it. He wanted to eat it, that was certain, but… he didn't want to cut it up. His jaw began to feel loose as he continued to stare hungrily at the pork plate. He couldn't control himself, he grabbed the ham and shoved the whole thing into his mouth! His jaw unhinged and accommodated the large hunk of meat. It was a quickly swallowed; Amai was stunned himself as he ate the whole thing without chewing! He could feel it slink down his throat, yet the moment it dropped into his stomach, he felt nothing. No satisfaction, not even a registration of food in his belly. "What on earth…" he muttered.

Melee snickered. "It's just like with Garou, you can't eat normal food, it does nothing for you" she said. "You need a monster to fill that stomach of yours."

He cringed at the thought of it all. But forced a smile. "You know, that ham was a lot more filling than I thought. After all, I still have to watch my figure, don't I?"

Melee's arms crossed. "Uh huh, sure you do," she said sarcastically. "Well, if you are getting hungry, let us know, we will take you hunting."

"Thank you for your… hospitality," Amai said, instead of going back to his room, he decided to take in more of the house, mainly the outside of it. He was more than familiar with the sparring pit. There he saw Garou and Suiryu training, Max and Pac were watching from the sidelines. He slithered around the back and found a strange little area of interest. It appeared to be a very low lying lounge chair and yet, it was embedded into the ground. It was placed so it would get full sunlight. Curious he gave it a try. He eased himself down and laid back.

He was perfectly still for a few minutes, when the sun began to warm is whole body. Even with the chill in the air, it was heavenly. "My God, this is wonderful!" he muttered. The sun warmed him, he felt content and relaxed for the most part. That was until he felt these strange tremors, his eyes shot open as he felt them intensify! Amai snapped up and out of the chair when the two large twins came out of nowhere!

"That's Snake's spot!"

"Snake only uses it, not you!"

Amai tried to sooth things over with the twins. "I apologize, I just wanted a place to rest. I am certain he doesn't mind if I borrow it, now would he?"

Neither one of the brothers agreed. "After how you treated him, you have no right!"

"No right at all"

"Draven, Goliath…."

The brothers turned and faced their father. "Dad, he was using Snake's spot!"

"Draven, Snake doesn't need it right now. Mask can use it."

"But dad… HE hurt Snake."

"I know Goliath, we will make sure he get a taste of what he put Snake through, it's his first day, leave him be… for now."

The twins glared at him, Goliath gave a defiant growl to Amai before leaving with Draven. Sweet Mask could feel that hate resonate off the twins, he will watch what he says around them. "Thanks… I think…"

Garou smirked. "I am not going to deprive you of basic comfort Amai, besides, I don't think this has quite sunk in for you yet."

"What do you mean? I get it, I'm a snake, just like what Snek was. It's not simple to say the least nor is it… elegant… beautiful… and a beacon of justice…"

"To say the least, no, it isn't." Garou's smile only grew wider, just as Amai's stomach rumbled aloud. "And it looks to me, you are going to need to eat something good sooner than later…"

"No!" Amai protested, but calmed himself. "No… thank you… I'm fine. Really."

"Keep telling yourself that, if it gets to a point where you are acting crazy, then I will force feed you." Warned Garou, but then he leaned in oddly. "Please, let it get to that point," he whispered as a sinister grin spread across his lips.

Amai shook his head, he was quick to slither back into the house and into his accommodations. With the door closed he tried to think things through. He was getting hungry, that was certain, and yet he wasn't about to resort to Snek's method of feeding, he can't, he refuses to! "What else is there for me to eat?" he muttered. A thought occurred, the wildlife! He could feed off the wildlife and avoid the monsters entirely! A deer would be more than filling for him, he wasn't that big and with his willpower, he could make it last as a meal for him.

He will have to do it discreetly though, if Garou or the family found him hunting, they will certainly take him along to get the monsters.

"If I am going to be stuck here, I cannot have the world see me like this. No one, not even my fans can know of this…" he said to himself. "No one will see me as this monstrosity!"

#

He bided his time.

Amai waited for nightfall when he announced he would be going out for a little stretch of his body. Garou was suspicious but he nodded. There was another idea in mind too. Depending on how far he could get, how well hidden he could be, Amai would make a break for it and get back to his flat in City R. From there he is certain a few phone calls here and there would allow him to wait out the rest of this curse for 4 months! But first, he needed something to eat.

The mountains offered a banquet to choose from. The moment he was out of range of Garou's family, he began to take in his surroundings. The forked tongue allowed him to taste the air and pick up on the scent of near by prey. He could register heat and see them in the dark if his eyes were closed. He began to find something of interest. A musky smell was registered in his senses, prey that would at least allow him to keep his dignity! He kept low and slinked through the forest, he marveled at his own body as it moved rather gracefully across the forest floor barely making a sound. He came closer only to discover a large stag!

Amai kept low until he felt his body tense, every muscle contracted before he lunged forwards. Even that was impressive to him! He bashed his own body into the stag, knocking it down! With his bare hands, he snapped the neck and stared down at his catch. "This… should do it." He said to himself.

He snapped the antlers off and tossed them to the side, from there he took in the deer and swallowed it whole. Little moans escaped from him as he savored and consumed every inch of the once majestic beast. He felt every bit of it slide down his throat, he could feel it enter his stomach and for but a moment, the sensation of satisfaction came over him… only to vanish.

"What…" he turned and found the buck was gone, instantly digested as the hunger pain only grew. He clenched his stomach trying to contain the growing gnawing sensation. "No, there has to be more. I have to eat more… I cannot go back to consuming monsters!" he said to himself. He spent the next two hours hunting. Taking anything he could catch and consume; deer, wild boars, bears, even the occasional rabbit and smaller creatures. But none of them filled him. He wasn't the least bit satisfied! "Damn it!" he growled. "Why am I not content! Nothing is satisfying me!"

"I could have told you that."

Amai froze, in the darkness, there were a pair of blood red eyes staring at him, then the eyes of all the demonic serpent shined back under the moonlight. Garou was lingering in the shadows, waiting for Amai to realize his conundrum has no simple solution. "You… You've been following me?" he demanded.

Garou shrugged his shoulders. "Technically you are my responsibility now, so yeah, I followed you. I saw what you ate too. Not bad, Snek devoured 20 deer before realizing he couldn't survive off of them. Those poor forest critters didn't have to die you know, they didn't do anything for your hunger."

Amai had to play it cool, slowly he got himself up again and smiled. "It's as if you don't know me at all. I have phenomenal will power, I will make sure this feast lasts me for some time."

Garou once more, smiled at him. "You are going to break a lot sooner than you think. Come on, let's get you back."

"I rather stay out," said Amai.

"I don't think so, I also know you are trying to make a break for it. Question is… how the hell are you going to live in an apartment, deep in a city, full of people, surrounded by your adoring fans and think no one will notice you in your condition?"

"I have my ways…"

"No, you don't. Not like this anyway. Get your ass back to the house,"

Amai glared at him, but decided to go along for now. When the family goes to bed, he will make a break for it.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

1:28am

Amai checked his phone and saw the time, the house has gone to bed, and it was time to leave! "I am going to get out of here, find another soothsayer or someone with power to break this damn curse!" he muttered. Yet just as he got up, he heard someone in the hall. He felt the heavy footsteps and knew he had to pretend to be asleep. With that, he went flat and closed his eyes. Yet the presence wasn't leaving. In fact, it lingered outside his door. Amai tried to ignore the idea that someone figured out his plan, and now they were posting guard outside. But as soon as he thought of it, the door opened. He didn't move, but he certainly felt someone enter his room. The footsteps were large, the weight pushed down on the memory foam floor but then, a great weight came on to his back! His eyes shot open. Amai turned and saw one of the twins lying right on top of him!

"Hey!" he whispered sharply. "Go back to your own damn bed!"

"No, nightmare."

"Whoever you are, go back to your own bed, I am not your pillow!"

"Snake always let us sleep here when we had a nightmare. He's safe, since he's not here. You get to be Snake."

"I said get the hell off of me!" Amai's situation didn't get any better as the twin braced him tightly. He couldn't slither out of his grasp. He couldn't pry him off. Amai was trapped! If he made too much noise he would wake the whole house. It only grew worst as his brother came in and did the same thing! The two pinned him down and slept on his back the whole night! He didn't get a wink of sleep!

By the next morning, Amai was wide-awake. The twins continued to stay on him until the door opened. Garou peered in and saw the situation. "Get them off of me!" Amai said through his teeth.

Garou did a sharp whistle. The twins suddenly woke up. "Nightmare?" he asked.

"Scary nightmare dad,"

"Draven, I told you before, you don't go into Snek's room when you have a nightmare, mom and I are just down the hall."

"But Snake is next door!" he protested. "Snake is softer to sleep on too."

Garou then turned to Goliath. "I doubt you had a nightmare," he said.

Goliath merely smiled. "I wanted to see if he was as comfy as Snake, Snake is a lot more comfier than he is."

"We all know that, besides he hasn't been fattened up yet. Come on let's get you two breakfast." As the twins left the room, Amai plunged his face into the foam floor.

"This isn't part of the punishment, is it?" he asked.

"Only if you see it that way, but the twins do this often too, even with Snek. When they get scared, they go to him. I hope they don't have nightmares every night, and especially after you ate something!" warned Garou.

"Why would that matter?"

"Goliath likes to sleep on the lumpier part of Snek." He walked away, grinning from ear to ear. Amai kept his face buried in the foam floor.

"I have got to get out of here, this family is insane!" he said to himself. "How did Snek not go crazy in a house like this?"

Amai was about to get up, until he felt everything inside of him ache, the rumble in his stomach intensified, ever since that forest feast last night, his body demanded, craved more to be put into it. But he wasn't about to give in to the urges, he can't, if he does, then they win! They will hold it over his head for the rest of his days, not to mention, if they took him out to hunt now, everyone in public would see him.

He cannot risk that kind of bad press!

A knock came to his door. "Mask, you good in there?" called Suiryu.

"Fine… just fine," he said begrudgingly. Suiryu opened his door and smiled. Lingering in he asked. "You want to spar with us today?"

"Spar?" he questioned.

"Yeah, practice your moves, test your skills, all that good stuff. Wanna join?"

"No."

"Oh come on, don't be a sour snake! It will be fun!"

"I said no."

Suiryu shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, enjoy your misery."

The door closed once more. "Misery? How can he not be miserable here? How is he always smiling, day in and day out without a hint of bitterness or anger to his condition? How can he?" Suiryu confused Amai, but there was no point in trying to figure him out. Amai laid back in bed and tried to catch up on the sleep he lost.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

6 days would pass when he couldn't take it anymore. The family knew it too. For the past few days, Amai has been crying out in agony at night. He thought he did a good enough job to hide his discomfort, yet when he dared to show his face. The family would stare at him oddly. Garou merely stared at him before announcing. "Tonight, we're taking you out to get something to eat. You can fight me all you want on it, but you are getting something to eat!"

Amai sneered at him. Despite this, Melee offhandedly mentioned that Snek would be coming over tonight for dinner. The irony was not lost on him and apparently he was bringing company. Amai tried to just relax for the moment, the weather outside was getting colder and he was feeling a little more sluggish than usual. He decided for the rest, he would stay out of the family's eye and just sunbath. It was one of the few things he could enjoy in this strange and disgusting form. Amai did everything he could to ensure his movements were relatively flawless and somewhat elegant. Despite his appearance he knew he could move about gracefully and with confidence. Yet, he still couldn't wrap his head around the notion that it was his body now. This disturbing, long, slithering figure was his to command and try to control. He sighed as he managed to reach the lounge chair outside. With a few supplies he packed, he found his reflector and lay in the sun. He was nearly to the point of content when he felt it. He would be out for hours without really noticing how much time has passed, but he should have gotten the hint as the sun's rays began to grow weaker.

The earth began to trembled, just slightly. Someone approached him. He turned his head just enough to peer out of the corner of his eye and saw him. Smiling from ear to ear was Snek! "Taking it in stride I see?"

"Do you mind, I am working on my complexion," Amai muttered and went back to sunning himself.

Snek laughed as he looked him over. He wasn't really paying attention to Snek's words. He spoke but wasn't really paying attention until Snek's voice grew a little louder than usual. "Lying in the sun is great, don't get me wrong, but it speeds up your metabolism. You are only making yourself hungrier."

"If I wanted your advice, I would simply ask for it."

"Suit yourself, but you got to be starving…"

"I'm not hungry!" Amai hissed.

Snek's hands went up in surrender. "Okay, not a word…" Snek continued to talk and look at him oddly. Sweet Mask tuned him out once more for the most part until Snek began to smile oddly. "You want to know something funny… I've been human for almost a week… and I'm already board of it" he whispered.

Amai perked up oddly. A sense of hope filled him. "Does this mean we can change back!?"

"God no!" Snek laughed. "I said I was board of it, I didn't say I was sick of it. Besides, you have yet to really suffer. I want to see that happen first hand,"

His hope was dashed; Amai glared at the former A Class hero before muttering. "Go away,"

Snek left him alone shortly after, but Sweet Mask cringed. He was getting hungrier. The pain in his stomach was getting more intense. If he doesn't eat something soon, he won't be able to handle the pain much longer. Despite his willpower, this was becoming difficult to manage and control.

Amai retreated back into the house as Melee called everyone in for dinner. When he slithered in, Amai froze, as Snek didn't come alone. For some reason, he brought a woman and her young son along with him. He never mentioned anything about knowing a woman or even dating. Amai had never seen her or this kid around Snek before, and yet there they were. The kid was about to ask about him when Amai hissed to the table. "NOT A WORD!" and retreated to his room.

He remained there until he cringed to the voice of Garou. "AMAI! GET YOUR ASS OUT WE'RE GOING HUNTING!"

"Not hungry!" he snapped back.

"I think you are, come on pretty boy!" Amai could feel him, the heavy footsteps approaching his room. Garou wrenched open the doors, smiling from ear to ear. "It's time," he said.

"I'm not going, I am not hungry!" Amai protested, but then his stomach roared aloud in great pain and agony. He folded over unable to cope with it anymore.

"I think you are, come out or I will drag you out!"

Amai hissed in defiance, yet was stunned when Snek stood at the door. "Garou, let me," he insisted.

Surprising Garou obliged as Snek stepped in and closed the door behind him. There was no smirk on his face, no smile of anticipation. He appeared rather serious. "You are just enjoying this, aren't you?" Amai demanded.

"A little right now, but I am sure there is a lot more to enjoy as this progresses. I got to say this to you though. You have to eat something. If you don't, you are going to get messed up like last time. You won't turn your hunger on me, but to those you swore to protect. You didn't consider that, did you?" he asked. "One of the first lessons Garou ever taught me when I became that. I would be listening to him if I were you."

Amai sneered at him, he shot up and glared Snek in the eyes. "What makes you think I won't turn my hunger on you like I did before!" he demanded.

Snek didn't appear to be the least bit startled by the threat. "Simply put, anything happens to me. You are stuck that way for the rest of your life. That power will have nowhere else to go, but to remain with its last host. You!"

Amai froze to the news, never considered the notion. If something happened to Snek, he's trapped. He settled himself down, but still he glared at him. "I am not hungry." He muttered.

"No, you're starving." Snek said. "I know the feeling, but you are not helping yourself by ignoring it. Listen to Garou, go out and get a monster. The sooner you do, the better you feel. Not to mention it takes a while for it to digest, so it's better to do it now than later. After all, it is night time, you don't want to hunt in broad daylight… someone could see you."

Sweet Mask didn't consider the notion. He growled lowly as he pushed his way past Snek and out of the room. He was going to go begrudgingly. "Get this over with." He demanded.

Amai didn't care for the advice, nor the other advice Snek gave him when Garou nearly pried him out of the room. Tonight he will be forced to hunt. There was no exception. After the little pep talk from Snek, Amai reluctantly slithered outside and found most of the M Class waiting for him, grinning from ear to ear. "What?" he demanded.

"Nothing!" said Max.

"Nothing at all," said Hunter, but his smile grew. "I got the perfect thing for you tonight, best we get a move on before it tries to move on." Amai began to glow the same green as Hunter, he was lifted off the ground and taken over the city. He marveled as to how strong Hunter was, being able to summon this power that originally came from Tatsumaki, without much guidance or even education on the esper ability, he mastered it through training and determination! They landed on the outskirts of a city, Amai at this point didn't care which one it was, all he cared about was finding that smell that has since tickled his fancy.

"That smell… that… thick… meaty… smell…" he said and savored it. He followed his senses, taking in the scent, and then registering the heat emitted off the monster. Hunter hung back as Amai found it, lunged and snapped its neck without hesitation! It was a massive creature, one he couldn't quite see himself consuming, and yet, he felt the urge. He craved to feel full, even if it was for a short while he has to have that feeling of satisfaction within himself. His jaw unhinged, his mouth widened as he threw himself towards the beast. He didn't care about how it felt going into his mouth, not even the idea of him eating the feet bothered him. He wanted the sensation of it caressing down his throat, slowly cox its way into his stomach and staying there!

He savored it.

Every nook, every inch and pound that went past his lips, he moaned with satisfaction as the monster continued to vanish. Yet as quickly as the moment began, he felt it end. A deep, gratifying gulp sent it on its way, down his throat and came to settle in his stomach. He caressed himself as the pleasure filled him. 'This feeling… this is it!' he thought to himself.

"I got to admit, I am a little disappointed. I expected a different reaction." Said Snek

"Wait for it." Said Garou.

Amai's moment of bliss came to an end, his eyes shot open as he realized all of M Class was staring at him, Snek even brought the kid along with him to watch him eat! Then, he noticed the extent of the damage. Amai was stuffed! "AAHHH!" He couldn't move! He couldn't bring himself to roll on to his stomach. He was helpless!

"There it is!" Garou announced and laughed.

Amai tried to move, but couldn't. "As helpless as a beached whale." Said Hunter. "Nearly as big as one too."

"Silence!" Amai scolded. "Why did you let me do this? Why did you do this to me!" he demanded.

Garou did a quick inspection of Amai, yet even as he walked around him, he heard it. Amai's stomach began to grumble, the monster he ate began to shrink rather quickly! Nearly half of it was gone, Amai was able to roll himself over again and move. However Garou appeared rather concerned. "That was a threat level demon monster… that should have kept you full for a while."

"I have a good metabolism, what of it?" demanded Amai.

"It's not a bad thing to have when you are human. But when you are a monster it is difficult to control. Why do you think I eat so often? It's not for the sake of getting stronger, it's to keep myself full!"

Amai froze; he doesn't eat all the time to get stronger? He thought that was the whole reason why Garou ate monsters to begin with! Amai's stomach then churned once more, what remained of the creature vanished! Garou was even surprised. "You were starving, weren't you?"

He didn't say anything, Amai turned away and said. "Can we just leave now?" he demanded.

"No," said Garou. "We cannot go home until I know you are satisfied. We need to get you another."

"What!" Amai demanded. "I ate, I'm fine!" he protested.

"No, you are not. Hunter, what else is around?"

"Level Demon on the outskirts of City Y."

"Let's go, Amai is going to have seconds!"

"WHAT! NO! I am not doing this. I had enough! You cannot force me to eat!"

Garou nodded. "True, I can't, but… let's take you there anyways and see how far this goes."

"You need to keep eating until it lingers a little," said Snek. "Even I can tell you aren't satisfied. You need something in there so it will last you for a few days or weeks, luckily you it appears it will last a few days. Mine took weeks to digest."

"It's that or it was his endurance." Said Garou. "Forcing yourself to forgo eating can take its toll on not just you, but your strength as well."

Amai ran his fingers through his hair rather nervously as he forced a smile. "I can appreciate the concern you all have for me, but rest assured, I am just fine."

His stomach rumbled, not as intensely as before. "One more." Everyone announced. He sneered to the notion. He was outnumbered to say the least, besides he heard what Garou said, he didn't have to eat. All Amai had to do was resist the urge to consume anything else.

Yet those who watched him feed were anticipating on him eating once more. "Oh boy, a two for one!" said Snek. "It took a level tiger to fill me up, and twenty deer."

"He ate half a forest last night." Said Pac.

#

They took him to City Y.

There was yet another threat level demon in the area, Amai hung back a little this time, yet when he caught the scent of the monster, the instinct to hunt became uncontrollable. He smelt it, the lingering musky smell that registered in his mind as food. A big, hearty meal that would end his stomach pain, he nearly salivated at the thought of it all! When he trailed the scent, Amai froze when he saw the monster. It was bigger than the last one he ate, but it didn't matter in his mine. It was time to strike!

He slithered up the fiend's body before making it to the head, with a firm grip he easily snapped the neck. It was killed before Garou or any of the other really hit the ground. With the creature dead, Amai began to stare at it oddly once more. His body coiled strangely, anticipating the feast before him. There was no hesitation. Lunging forward once more he wrapped his jaws around and slowly coxed down his prey.

He couldn't resist or stop the pleasant moans that escaped from him, it was like ecstasies for him! Everything felt right, it felt good and it was the gratification he has been longing for. Perhaps its part of the reason why he is so miserable, he is use to gaining such pleasure from his fans, and the people who admire him. Since he has been deprived of it, there was nothing for him to savor or enjoy… until now. The moment was over, the final gulp given, he lay contently, stroking his protruding scales as every inch of his serpent body was full.

Once again though, he instantly regretted his actions. This time, the monster remained, he couldn't move. Let alone slither! He tried though, much to the delight of those around him, snickering and laughing at his expense. Sweet Mask kept turning and staring at his bulging center, he was so disgusted with himself. "This isn't right… this isn't right!" he kept saying over and over again. Despite his attempts to rolled himself to a more respectable position, he was unable to. He was embarrassed by his actions, he cursed his somehow weakened will power. Why couldn't he control himself? Amai shook his head to it all, he turned to Garou and pleaded with him. "I can't do this for four months, I just cant! Please, stop this! I… I… I just can't stand to see myself like this! LOOK AT ME! I look ridiculous!"

Garou didn't even think it over. "Nope, the deed is done, the prediction came true, you sir, are stuck for the next four months, living like this, enduring and eating like this. As I said before Amai, this isn't really the punishment I have in store for you. This is Snek's birthday present… also; this is a little taste of revenge for him too. With all you have said and mocked about him. The very least you could do is try and lived the way he has for the past few years."

Amai shook his head to it all, he managed to roll himself on to his stomach before turning to Snek. "Please… take this back. I am sorry, I am SO sorry,"

Snek only gave a half smile to him. "You have only been me for the past what? 6 days? I'm not impressed. I thought you were suppose to be the top of A Class for a reason, this… this is nothing."

"And the news gets better too," said Hunter. "We got a meeting at the association, all S, M and the top of A Class is to be there."

"So what?" questioned Amai. "I am not Rank 1 anymore."

"No… but you are filling in for Snek. Which makes you a temporary M Class Dragon." said Garou.

Amai felt as if a pit was forming in his stomach, he shook his head. "No… no one can see me like this! This isn't fair Garou!"

"Life isn't fair," he snapped back. "Besides," said Garou. "Part of the meeting is about you,"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Amai didn't quite remember how he got back to his room. Shortly after Hunter mentioned the meeting at the association in a few days, his mind just started to slip into a restful state. He became lethargic and passed out shortly after. Yet, when he woke once more, he was back at Garou's home in Snek's room. At first he forgot why he was there, until he noticed his scales. "Damn it," he muttered lowly to himself. Next he tried to move. His body could inch its way across the ground, but he couldn't slither. Amai was too full! Not only that, but he turned and saw the twins once more sleeping on him! Goliath was resting on the lump that was the last monster he ate!

"This is going too far!" Amai growled, he tried to move and shake the twins off of himself, yet. They somehow perfectly balanced themselves.

"You think that would stop us? We've been doing this for a while," muttered Goliath.

"We have had plenty of practice," chimed Draven. "You still aren't as comfy as Snek."

"Snek was fat!" Amai snapped at them.

"No, he wasn't. He was strong." Goliath sat himself up and stretched out. "I don't think you realize how strong he really was."

"Get off of me!" Amai hissed.

"Boys…." Scolded Melee. The twins listened to her. They slid off Amai and left the room, Melee then turned to Amai and smiled. "Really, you called Snek fat? You do realize why he was so big right?"

"He ate like a pig, I know that much."

Melee sighed. "He was so big because of his muscles," she explained. "Garou was telling me, you aren't choking or constricting your prey. Instead you snap the neck and eat it. Snek constricted, since he did that all the time, his body got thicker and stronger. So, I wouldn't be calling him fat when you may just end up in the same position as he was."

Amai smirked. "Thank you for the heads up on that, I need to maintain my figure, so I won't constrict my prey then."

"Whatever," Muttered Melee.

Amai however growled lowly. "I want to go home."

"No shit," Melee said in a cold tone. "You and two others in this house want to go home. They want to go back to their normal lives before they were forced into the things they are now. Snek wanted to go home, Max wants to go home… Suiryu… him I am not to sure about but hell, if he has a place to stay then yeah, I think he too would want to sleep in his own bed. You ain't special sunshine. You aren't the only one who needs to live here just to be certain they can stay safe and have a place to go. There are still people out in this world that despise us and would do things to let us know they hate the M Class for what they are!" she snapped back.

Amai fell silent.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. You are not the only one that wants to go home, how do you think Snek felt? He has an apartment he couldn't live in, hasn't been there in well over 2 years. You… you get to go back in four months! Quite your bitching!"

Amai sneered to the lecture, however he had nothing to say. What could he say? Melee kept her arms crossed yet gave a sigh. "You are welcome to join us if you can move. If you can't, I will bring you drinks if you require something…"

"How about a sparkling cucumber water with a twist of lime?"

"How bout a plain glass of water?" she snapped back. "I told you before, you aren't being waited on hand and tail here. You want that fancy crap in your water, do it yourself. In the mean time, you want water, I will get you a plain glass."

He growled lowly. "Very well, plain water."

"Plain water what?" she demanded.

Amai rolled his eyes. "A glass of water _please_." He said and emphasized the please. Melee obliged that time, she left and came back with a glass. She passed it along to him and glared. "You never said please when I worked for you, you haven't said even after I left. People like to be appreciated for their work Amai, try to keep that in mind." She left shortly after as Amai drank his water. He brushed off the comment and tried to rest once more.

"This is pathetic. I eat and have to sleep this abomination off? Where's the practicality in this? What purpose is this for?" He tried to move himself once more, yet he refused to leave the room by merely inching his way out. If he can't do an elegant slither, he won't bother. "This is very degrading…"

Just then a knock came to his door. "Hey, Amai!" Peering it was Lightning Max, grinning from ear to ear. "Just a heads up, meeting in two day!"

"What?" he growled. "Why do I have to go?"

"Snek's replacement, remember? So I suggest you rest up now and digest that thing, or you will have a gut showing at the association!"

A look of panic came over him. He couldn't let that happen. No one can see Amai Mask looking… fat!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next day, Amai saw no difference in his situation. He was forced to sleep with the thought of being seen like this monstrosity. He was not looking forward to the next day, worst still, the second monster he ate was slow to digest. Enough of it has been absorbed that he could slither, but still, he has this large bulge in his body that the world will see. As he closed his eyes for the night, he tried to think once more of a way out. Snek won't be taking back his power any time soon, nor will the family show him any sort of mercy no matter how much he apologizes for his actions. It was only a week, and he was sick of it all.

"This place is a mad house," he said to himself. "How anyone keeps their sanity here is beyond me."

"We are not insane the least bit."

Amai was startled! Sitting against the wall in his room was Goliath. By the looks of it, he's been there for a while. "How long…"

"Ever since you started your self loathing."

Amai paused. "Wait, before you were merely repeating everything your brother said or agreeing with him. Are you far more articulated with your words?"

"Very much so. Believe it or not, Draven is the one who is still having trouble with pronunciations." Goliath paused. "You still don't give a damn."

"Excuse me?"

"You… don't… give… a… damn." Goliath said slowly. "I maybe young, but I see right through you, and I am starting to believe no matter what happens, even after all this, you won't have a change of heart or option on my family or my friend Snake. I take offense to that." The boy paused as he appeared to think things over. "I began to believe what mother said about you earlier… if given the chance, you could see beyond what you are and what is in front of you. Perhaps for once, she was wrong."

Amai smirked. "I don't care that you do, quite frankly boy, your mother says a lot of things about me that has tainted my image in your family." He gave off a small laugh. "I don't really see how this is punishment for me. Uncomfortable, yes, insulting, yes and yet it appears that as you said no matter what happens, I won't change my option on the subject matter. I tend to believe that you are correct on the notion. No one forces their opinion on the likes of me."

Goliath forced a small laugh. "I think we are going to change that," he said. "If you were half the man Snake was, I would give you credit were credit is due. But you aren't. Not even close. Certainly, you get to change back when this is all said and done. Snek returns to being this, and yet you won't care. Why should you? Despite the fact that he does far more for the cities than you will ever know, he has done more for the people then you will ever see. In my family, we consider him a great hero. He's my hero."

Amai sneered. "I don't want to hear you sing the praises of some mediocre hero, I would like to get some sleep."

Goliath nodded. "If you insist, but rest assured Mr. Mask. I will be certain that you know how great Snake is and why you will never hold a candle to him." Goliath stood up after that and walked out of the room. The door closed, Amai got comfortable once more. Goliath's words rolled off his back, they meant nothing to him. After all, he's just the son of Garou, his family's option are nothing more than mere words…

#

"Come on! Out you get!"

"I am not going."

"You have to go, everyone has to go, including you!"

"I am NOT going out like this!" Garou has been trying for the past twenty minutes to get Amai out of his room. He was still big and refuses to let anyone see him in such a state. His appearance was not befitting for the public eye, or anyone else's for that matter. Yet Garou wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"Snek made appearances all the time, even on a full stomach. It didn't stop him," said Garou. "So Snek is better than you at attendances, good to know. But you're still coming!"

He hissed aloud. "I told you, people don't know I look like this! I want to keep it that way. My image will be destroyed if people learn the truth as to why I am… THIS!" he stated. "Understand that my look is everything to the fans, I am Sweet Mask! Not… a snake!"

"And I'm the human monster, but not human anymore. People get over it, people still call me the human monster anyway. It doesn't matter, so get your scaly ass out of the room or I will force you out." Warned Garou.

Amai refused to move. "Go ahead and try it!"

"Okay," Garou turned. "Pac!"

Pac came to the doorway. He pointed at Amai, which made him glow green! "NO! NO! PLEASE NO!" he begged, but he was levitated out of the room. Amai tried to grab on to the walls, doorframes, anything that would prevent him from leaving the house. But Pac's esper power was too strong, he was able to freeze Amai's arms and hand! Soon, he found himself out of the house and couldn't touch the ground. Pac unfroze his arms, Amai then tried desperately to reach the ground and attempt to grab hold of the earth. Despite his best attempts, it was out of range, his fingertips just brushed the surface of the earth.

"Are we ready?" called Melee.

"I want a sweater!" protested Amai. The family turned and stared at him oddly. "Please, may I have a sweater?"

Rolling his eyes, Hunter went in and got one of Amai zip up hoodies. He tossed it to him. Amai was quick to zip it up and then raise the hood over his head and pulled the strings tight. "Yeah, like that's going to do you any favors." Muttered Garou. "Let's go!"

Amai didn't enjoy the flight, yet he knew the moment they arrived at the Heroes Association. As his underbelly hit the ground, he was already trying to figure out a way to go unseen… at least, as best as he can. His stomach would be the main hindrances, but there was nothing that could be done about that. With a deep breath he was forced to follow Garou's family in. Matters didn't help much as Pac and Suiryu came behind him to ensure he didn't try and make a run for it. He slithered in, yet kept his face hidden, his head down and made no eye contact. People in the halls would pause and whisper.

"Snek looks different today."

"Since when does he wear a hoodie?"

"Oh look, he just ate, we better extend the room for him."

"Is Snek cold? His scales are blue."

He sneered at the thought, Amai paused as the family came to a stop in the hallways. "Garou! You called this meeting again? What's this about?" asked Darkshine.

"In due time, we have a few announcements, even my son Hunter has one. For now, wait and see."

"Cool… hey… Snek, you look different today!"

Amai kept silent, he turned away trying to avoid eye contact. "Don't mind him," said Melee. "He's in a mood."

"Ah, I see… Ooo, you got some protein in you last night! Nice, good use of a monster I say! See you all in there."

"Let's go grumpy, we're down this way." Said Alley as she peered up into Sweet Mask's hoodie. They continued on until they reached the new meeting room. A larger facility that could house all the S Class, M Class and a few others if need be. Amai just got through the doorway when he cringed to the voice.

"What's the meaning of this!" Tatsumaki demanded. "I know you two called it, so it better be good!"

"I'll let you decide in just a moment." Said Garou.

Amai tried to keep himself hidden in the back. Tatsumaki quickly took notice of him. "What's with Snek?" she demanded. "He never huddles in the back corner of the room, even if he did eat something the day before… EW you ate the day before!" she said realizing the large mass in the middle of his body.

Amai then saw Garou was suddenly smiling from ear to ear. Tatsumaki was quick to confront 'Snek' on his lack of attention. "Are you ignoring me!?" She demanded. "And why are you wearing a hoodie?" With her esper power she wrenched it right off. Amai hissed at her, but then realized he was exposed. He froze as Tatsumaki stared at him, wide eyed and shocked. She pointed to him then turned to Garou who was grinning an evil smile.

She started to snicker. The snicker grew into a muffled giggle, then full out laughter. "HAHAHAHA! YOU… YOU… HAHAHAHAHA!" she twisted and twirled in the air with utter delight, she went in close and stared at Amai Mask. "Oh you messed up BAD didn't you?" she turned to Garou. "I got to admit freak boy, I didn't think you would go THIS far!" She then went on to laugh at Amai's condition and even poked his side.

She burst into fits of laughter, she couldn't stop herself despite Sweet Mask demanding it. "It's not the least bit amusing!" he protested. "You wouldn't like it if it happened to you!"

"But it didn't, it happened to you!" she continued to laugh aloud while floating in place, it wasn't long for Bang to come in.

"Tatsumaki, this is unbefitting of…" then Bang saw Sweet Mask. He too began to snicker. He turned to Garou, laughing it up. "This was what you had in mind!?"

"Part of it," said Garou. "This is just for what he did to Snek. We are still plotting our punishment!"

"We like to spread it out and jab at you when Amai when he appears most content," explained Melee. She turned and smiled to Sweet Mask. "Enjoy the ride."

Amai hissed aloud to the news, and yet, he began to feel strange. His stomach was acting up once more, the moans and gargling filled the room. As the sounds continued, Amai felt his stomach empty. The last of the monster he ate vanished. Garou appeared curious. "Hmm, I think you have been depriving yourself of food for some time. Then again, you are a model aren't you? At least, you were…"

"Be quiet!" Amai snapped.

As the other heroes filed in, they all stopped, stared and laughed at Amai Mask. Metal Bat in particular gave him the hardest time. "Look at this, Mr. Idol man has become the thing he hates the most! How does it feel to have the shoe on the other foot huh? Oh wait, you ain't got feet!"

Amai growled. "I can still defeat you with ease, remember that!" he warned.

Metal Bat smiled. "Bring it on snake man!"

"People, please! My God, you think you would know better than to try and start a fight here." Said Sitch, yet the moment he saw Sweet Mask, he froze. Amai cringed and looked away.

"I don't want to hear any more comments about this… I am what I am right now, please move on from it." He pleaded.

Sitch turned to Garou. "I do suppose this is your doing?"

"Amai Mask will be filling in for Snek for the next four months… well three months and 4 weeks." Explained Garou. "However…." The grin on Garou's face only grew. "Remember when I requested he remain in A Class?" Garou asked aloud. The room nodded. "Well, since Amai is still A Class, Rank 2… but he has to maintain that rank with his heroic actions since he cannot do his usual media appearances… he can't maintain rank either lying about at my house!"

Amai froze. He turned to Garou. "No… no please, anything, ANYTHING but that, please, don't let the public know I have become this monstrosity! It will break the hearts of my fans to see me like this!"

"Don't care" Garou said in a cold tone. "I really don't care that it will do that to your 'beloved fans', you are not going to just ride it out in the comfort of my house. You got a rank to keep and maintain, like all the other heroes."

Tatsumaki was snickering once more. "You really are evil, aren't your freak boy?"

"I am inclined to agree with Garou on this, Amai Mask. From this moment on you are to fulfill your hero obligations…"

"NO" he snapped. "I will not be made a mockery of any more of this! I have had it with your games, your torment, this… this… this existence! This isn't right, it's not befitting of my image nor me. I have an appearance to keep and maintain for the sake of my fans and those who admire me. I cannot be seen like a monster!" he paused. "You keep forgetting Sitch, I am one of your best ambassadors to the Heroes Association. I am the one that gets the donations with ease. I am the one that encourages quality heroes to apply and join this cause. Without me, you have NOTHING!"

"Aren't we full of ourselves," said Alley. "Some of that maybe true, Amai. But rest assured, if push comes to shove, I think we will be just fine when it comes to securing donations. Besides, I though you said anyone can become a hero if you feel the desire for peace in your heart,"

"Not… monsters…" he said slowly.

Hunter snorted. "But you are one now, at least, half of one. So how about you ease off on your own sense of what a hero is and shut the hell up for a moment." Hunter stood tall as he turned to Amai, looked him square in the eyes and said. "You will be accompanying me on heroic tasks and patrols." Announced Hunter. "As Class A Rank 1, I have read the obligations of that title, and one includes training heroes below my rank… you are" he said with an evil smile on his lips. "You are going to be my partner."

Amai refused. "I will not work with the likes of you," he said defiantly.

"Oh? Is that so?" he asked.

"Yes, it is!"

Hunter smirked. "I hope you enjoy Rank 2 then… I won't be leaving for S Class if that's the case."

"What? Your whole purpose of this was to get into the S Class, it is within your reach now, take the damn promotion and leave me be!"

"How can I? If you yourself won't fulfill your duties as a hero looking like that, there's no point in me going to S Class, as well. You will drop in ranks faster since you are also not doing any movies, shows, albums…"

"Shut up, shut up!"

"Amai, suck it up!" said Lightning Max. "We have done just fine being heroes looking the way we are. You look like a snake, big deal. You always were one,"

"Ooo burn," said Metal Bat.

"I refuse to speak of this any farther!" Amai slithered out; he had to get some distance away from the meeting room, but froze. He left his sweater in there!

"Wow… that thing looks like Amai Mask, doesn't it?"

He froze as his name; from the corner of his eye he saw them, citizens that may recognize him. "It does look like Sweet Mask doesn't it?"

He darted. He didn't care where he went, he had to get out of the view of people. Taking the stairs he slithered his way down and into the subbasement. There he caught his breath and tried to figure out his next move. "I can't go on like this, I just… can't."

His stomach moaned once more. "Not again…"

"STOP IT!"

"IT'S TOO STRONG, IT CAN'T BE STOPPED!"

"CALL THE HEROES! CLEAR THE BUILDING, LEVEL DEMON THEAT!"

Amai found himself in the lockdown area of the subbasement, where the monsters are kept. Yet this one appeared to be getting out of hand. He peered into the room as he saw associate members trying to subdue a level demon giant. Yet it was rampaging! It broke open other cells releasing more monsters out. Amai however was licking his lips, he couldn't control himself as he slithered out. One creature was snickering and saying aloud how it was going to kill the first human it finds. However, as it turned. Amai grabbed hold of its throat! The monster was terrified, and Sweet Mask liked it! "Already thinking of the kill are we? I won't let that happen. Besides, you will be my first today… but… I won't kill you… at least, not yet!" There was no merciful death, there would be no breaking of its neck or squeezing the life out of it. Instead, Amai hissed, his jaws widened as he shoved the monster in alive!

He couldn't understand at first why, until he felt it struggle in his mouth, down his throat all the way to his stomach. Even then, the sensation was savory. From the corner of his eye, he peered down at himself just as his body twitched with monster fighting for its life with no success. It won't escape him. "Such… perfection… a fitting end to one who causes so much harm. A slow and possibly painful death…" He licked his lips. His smile grew. Sweet Mask has room for seconds! More and more of the weaker monsters escaped their prison cells, but they were all caught and stopped by Amai. They were forced into his jaws as he took his time devouring them whole and alive. The pleasure he felt from the night before returned, but this… this was ecstasy! It was even better than before, after all he could still feel them trying to break free from his stomach.

The low rank monsters were easy to grab and consume, but his eyes set on the demon one that caused the commotion. He slithered out into the open as all the associate members were struck back by the monster. Amai was smiling to it, as the men who tried to subdue it froze. "Is… is that Snek?"

"No, it isn't…"

"If that's not Snek, who or what…"

"Enough, all of you." Amai said sternly. "Back down and let me take care of this."

They froze to his voice, but Amai didn't care anymore if they knew it was really him or not. His eyes were set on a greater prize…


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was savory, decedent, and most of all filling. He felt the power coursing through him, everything felt right. In a sense, it was almost beautiful. The fight it put up, even on its way down his throat, the struggle it maintained even after the final bit of the beast was pushed down. It was glorious in his mind. He just finished the demon level monster, it slowly coxed its way down his throat until he felt it settle with the others. His belly swayed and moved with movement, but he couldn't be happier with it.

"You just went all out, didn't you?"

His eyes opened as he turned and saw Garou staring down at him. "Hm, I think Snek's right, this wasn't quite the reaction he was expecting, nor was I, you're actually enjoying this."

"Far from it." Amai protested. "I am merely… making the most of it all…" he paused to cherish the sensation surged through him once more. "I am trying to find the beauty in it all, and I may have discovered it." He rested his hands on his bloated belly before caressing himself rather contently. "These… monsters, the ones that unleash death and chaos into the world, and yet, when they are consumed by me, they feed the one who brings about their end. Such a befitting way to take a monster from this world, use it to fuel the hero who removes them!"

Garou rolled his eyes, as Melee was soon to enter the room. "Oh for the love of God" she sighed. "You always do this!"

"What do you mean?" Amai asked.

"I have known you long enough to know this. When you find something that indulges you, you take it too far!" she said. "You have an addictive habit like that, why do you think you are obsessed with movies, shows, music… you do it all because you are addicted to it! Now, since you can't you found a new vice to latch on to."

"Melee… I am merely… finding beauty in this."

"Yeah, sure you are. You look like a bloated snake sausage."

He didn't care anymore, Amai was content, and that's all that mattered to him. Garou rolled his eyes to it all. "Better get Amai fat ass home."

"I will not be insulted like that!" he protested. "I just saved those associates from being killed by this monster and those it tried to liberate."

"Yeah, but you made the stupid mistake of eating them alive. Only I can do that since I digest them instantly. What you did is reckless. If any one of them is strong enough, they could burst out of your gut!"

"They haven't succeeded yet."

"I swear if you are going to enjoy this I will make you eat until you are sick of it!" warned Garou.

Melee had to levitate him up the stairs and to the main floor. The kids were waiting for their parents, yet they all appeared rather disturbed to Amai's state and agitating stomach. Hunter took the hoodie Sweet Mask left behind and covered Amai's head. "I'm actually embarrassed to be seen with you right now. Snek at least had self control"

"Snek couldn't eat as much as I can" Amai said in a proud tone.

"No, he knew better and paced himself," sighed Alley.

They were home before anyone knew it; Melee took Amai back to his room and left him there to savor his latest meal. She couldn't help but stare at him oddly as he appeared to be enjoying himself a little too much. "How deprived are you?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Despite the fact that you are not quite enjoying this little experience, and yet you are. You have starved yourself not just in this form, but even in your human state. Not to mention what better way for you to get the attention you crave so much than to do something stupid like this. Seriously, this is stupid!"

"Snek never did it, did he?" he asked with a coy grin.

"Once," explained Melee. "He did this once, to a level demon monster because he was pissed off about what happened that day. He said he wouldn't do it again, and that was after breaking most of its bones so it wouldn't struggle as much."

The grin on Amai's face didn't vanish. It only grew. "You're concerned for me, aren't you?"

Melee rolled her eyes. "Yes," she said reluctantly. "That's also because you are under the care of Garou and I. Anything happens to you, I doubt we would hear the end of it."

"You're concern isn't valid, besides I can easily handle this. It's a simple matter to contend with." He said as he caressed his body. "I do admit though, this sensation I am getting. It's remarkable, and nearly… savory at times."

Melee cringed to the news of that, she left shortly after leaving Amai alone to relish his meal.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Anyone else uncomfortable by this?" asked Hunter.

Everyone put their hand up. "He's enjoying it," muttered Garou. "The pig is actually enjoying it!"

"I know why too…" said Melee. "He's not bounded by obligations here. He doesn't have any albums to make, shows to star in, and movies to do. He's under no pressure to maintain an 'image'" but she paused. "What I don't get is why he is enjoying eating monsters alive?"

Everyone appeared to cringe at the news, except for Garou. "It's the power," he said offhandedly. "He knows he just consumed another life and it is fighting for it's very existence in his stomach, he knows it's not escaping, so he is savoring the thought of it all, he has power over that monster."

"Still creepy" muttered Hunter. "Well, let's see how he does in three days. I am taking him with me through the cities on patrol."

"How are the people treating you Hunter? Knowing you are Class A Rank 1?" asked Suiryu.

"Honestly, like shit. All his fan girls are upset that I overthrew their idol in the ranks. If they only knew he nearly destroyed a city after getting corrupted by power. Still, far be it from me to tell them otherwise, the Association hasn't said anything… I advised them not to."

The room paused. They stared at Hunter oddly. "You advised them not to?" questioned Alley.

He nodded. "I look at the bigger picture here. Yeah, we could ruin his career and everything. In doing so, he will be pissed off and would probably take that anger out on us. I have no doubt we could take him, but I rather not go to war with him at the moment. Second, he gets the highest donations for the association, which are our pay cheques." He explained. "But… I feel there is something else about him that no one really has seen just yet. We know of Sweet Mask, but not him as a whole. Don't get me wrong. I still hate the jackass! I know we are setting out to teach him a lesson… but I am going to do it in a different way. I am not going to humiliate him in public, instead, let's see what happens…"

The family nodded. "Since when the hell do we take the high road?" Garou demanded. "For once, why can't we do things bad, like the old times!"

"Because…" said Melee. "You have kids now and they are not going to emulate their father's actions if they are bad actions. Am I clear?"

Garou sneered, but he nodded. "Yes dear," he said sarcastically. Melee punched him in the arm for that one.

The kids snickered.

"So what's our next step? He's quick to adapt, so there's no point in making him uncomfortable when he eats. That's not bothering him anymore." Said Pac.

"As I said, I am not going out to ruin his image. But I am not letting him off the hook either. Which is why he will be patrolling with me. I am curious though, I have a feeling even that won't bother him soon enough. If people knew he was the way he was, I doubt it would hurt his rep at all. His fans are so devoted to him, he could be a shaved jackass and they would still swoon over him." Said Hunter.

"I would test that theory!" Garou said with a smirk.

"But remember why we are going this. It's for Snek, let Snek have his vacation." Said Alley.

The twins nodded. "He deserve a break, he's put up with so much, especially from us!" said Goliath.

Garou paused in thought. "We are going to keep a close eye on Amai, I find he is eating a lot more than he should be. But then again, as I said before, he has to be starving himself. Not just in this state but when he was human too."

"I got to admit though, I can't wait for Snek to come back," said Suiryu.

"Me too," sighed Max.

"We all can't wait for Snek to return," said Melee.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Three days later. Amai was still rather large, he didn't want to go out, however his rank was at stake. Hunter heard recently of Atomic Samurai's disciples stepping up their training and improving their skills. The news enticed Sweet Mask to get out there and prevent them from pushing him farther down the system, even if it meant going out in public with a semi-full stomach.

Hunter kept close by Amai, who once more donned on a hooded sweatshirt and threw on a pair of sunglasses and kept his face hidden from the world. They took to the streets of City C. Out of Amai's usual place of City A and there were far fewer fans for him to run into. City C is more known for it's restaurants than entertainment. "You really don't think people are going to take more notice of you looking like that than without the hood? People know what Snek looked like, they are going to know you are not him." Said Hunter.

Amai glared at him. He paused as he looked about to ensure no one was really around. When he felt safe to speak, he did so. "Do things your way, I do them mine." He muttered.

Hunter sighed, he stopped then and there and took hold of Amai's shoulder, Sweet Mask was quick to brush off his hand. "Don't touch me," he warned.

"Will you stop and listen to me for once asshole!"

Amai paused and turned to him, his arms crossed. "What!" he demanded.

"You may not care, you may never change your ways, so be it. But still what the hell is your issue with us?" Hunter demanded. "I can smell it off of you, you despise us, you hate being in my presence as we speak! What have we done to piss you off?" he demanded.

Amai smirked. "You really want to know?" he asked. "First off, your father. I hated him ever since he came into my life, he wanted to become a monster for that was his idea of a hero. He harmed many others in his quest to do so, innocent people suffered under his hand. He caved my face in with a single strike!" Amai stated. "Then… THEN he vanishes before he could be properly punished, Death was to be his punishment. He deserved it. But, no, the one who could have killed him, refused to do so."

"Saitama," said Hunter. "I know that, I know that story too about my father. He told my siblings and I. The whole truth too."

"Yes, well," he paused but the anger in him grew. "Look what he turned your mother into!"

"I doubt that was on purpose,"

"How would you know?" Amai demanded of him. "I was the one who trained your mother on how to be a hero, she learned all she knew from me. Yet when she went off on her own I knew it was a terrible idea, she wasn't ready for it!" he announced. "And I was right, look what became of her! The moment she crossed paths with your father she was never the same again." His fists clenched in anger at the notion.

"Melee, never should have gone with someone like him. She was human before, and elegant woman, a powerful one at that. She was one of the few who I could turn to and trusted. And he goes and makes her into a monster like himself!" he paused before muttering. "My Starlight…"

Hunter froze. The way Amai just spoke about his mom just now, it was more than just anger at his father. "You loved her, didn't you?"

The look of shock came over Amai's face, he turned away and refused to speak any farther of it. "Let's go…"

"No, tell me… you loved my mom."

"I will not speak of this any farther with the likes of you!" Sweet Mask snapped back. "What does it matter if I did or not, look at what became of her!"

Hunter began to realize Amai Mask did care for his mother, but he never showed it. How could he? A man that has to be an idol for the countless women who swoon over him each and every day, to the fan girls that would give their left eye to be in his presence. How could he be connected to a single woman? But, Hunter also has seen Amai try and be with his mother when he possessed his father's body. He was rough, refusing to listen to what she said and what she wanted. His mother was repulsed by him, she didn't appreciate the way he treated her, and Hunter couldn't blame her the least bit! Amai wasn't a caring man to say the least; if he wanted something he took it. It was never a mutual give and take.

Amai began to slither off, his head hung a little lower, his hands tucked into the pockets of the hoodie.

Hunter was quick to catch up with him, he wanted to say something, but, what could he say. Was this where the hatred of the M Class is coming from? Is he upset that his father was the one to win his mother's heart despite everything he had done?

Amai was a sore loser.

With a sigh, Hunter then smiled. "It's funny if you think about it," he said aloud. "If it weren't for you… I wouldn't be here."

Sweet Mask paused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'll be honest with you. Mom didn't share your feelings, in fact, she told us how you treated her like crap when she worked for you. You never called her by her actual name, you never really appreciated what she did… you told her to lose weight!" Hunter stated bluntly. "If you liked someone, who the hell says 'hey, I am interested in you… but drop some pounds and we'll talk'. That's stupid!" he started to laugh.

"I was helping her!" he protested. "I have to be seen with the best of the business and they must appear their best…"

"Do you even hear yourself?" Hunter asked. " **I** have to be seen with the best of the business… It's not about my mom… it's about you… it's always been about you. If you were interested in her, how the hell could she have known when you have been self absorbed in your own reality?" Hunter paused. "If she was the best in your mind, a woman worthy of you. You wouldn't have told her to change, she would have been perfect the way she was. But it wasn't good enough for you, was it?"

Amai turned away harshly, he hissed lowly but then state. "She knew what went on around me, I was constantly on the go and needed to be in places…"

"There you go again. It's all about you, Amai." Hunter paused. "Did you ever stop and talk to her, about anything she liked? Did you speak with her after she lost her family in a monster attack? What did you do?"

He said nothing; he had no words to speak. But it didn't matter. Especially when they heard a loud crash within the city!

Four monsters were on the loose, targeting the people who were unable to get away. "It's go time!" Hunter began running, but paused when he realized Sweet Mask wasn't following suit. He didn't have time for this, Hunter ran. Four monsters would be difficult to take down on his own, but he could try!

They were tall and massive, no doubt they will give Hunter trouble unless Amai can find the strength and willingness to help him. There was no time to try and convince him, Hunter took his shot at the first monster in sight, one that grabbed on to a woman and a young man.

BAM!

One shot he took the head off. The people it held on to were quickly freed and ran for their lives. The other three then realized who they were up against. "Grab as many humans as you can and flee! We'll eat as we run!"

"I want to eat this one! What a fine meal he will make!" One monster said as it stood its ground against Hunter.

"I was thinking the same thing about you!" Hunter laughed. He charged once more, this time he tore this one to bits using the torrent move with whirlwind iron cutting fist. Two down, but two remained. He gave chase, two of the monsters were fleeing with people in their grasp. Hunter grabbed on to one of them by the tail and tried to hold it back, but the other was getting out of range.

"AMAI! HELP ME!" Hunter called.

He turned but found he was nowhere to be seen. "That bastard!" Hunter cursed. He wrenched back the monster, took aim at its arms so it would drop its hostages. Unfortunately for Hunter this one was a decoy! It held nothing more than crushed cars and street crud! For good measures, Hunter snapped its neck out of anger. He has to get the last monster he saw fleeing the scene.

Running as fast as he could, he saw it stop, suspended above its head was a small child that was about to be dropped into its mouth! The girl shrieked as the man in the fiend's hand screamed. "NO, NOT MY DAUGHTER!" Hunter had to hurry, yet as he was about to plan a strike, something else struck! It was fast, furious and took the head and arm that held the child clean off! The man was released, yet he looked about. "My daughter?" he said.

He stood there. Amai Mask! In his arms he held the little girl who was no worst for wear. He tore the arm that latched on to her off, and set her down. He adjusted his sweater and tightened the hood up. The little girl stared at him oddly. "… Amai Mask?" she asked.

He didn't to answer her, he couldn't. Instead, Amai slithered off. He tossed the monster arm to the side of the road as he brushed past Hunter. But paused. "Don't ever speak my name in public like that again," he warned, then he appeared uneasy. "I want to leave."

With a nod, Hunter agreed as they began to make their way home, yet Sweet Mask stopped suddenly. There was one monster that stayed in tact, and was still moving. He paused before it yet gave a strange look to Hunter. There was no hesitation on his part this time. Amai devoured it. With a full stomach once more, he gave but a nod to Hunter who took him home without question.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

For the rest of the day, Sweet Mask was cursing himself out. Muttering how he was foolish to speak aloud to Hunter, a son of Garou about how he felt, why he was so angry… But then again. The boy figured most of it out on his own, he didn't really say a word to him about Melee. Yet, he knew the truth now.

Amai Mask had always loved her. In the years she spent at his assistance, there was no one who could have held a candle to her and her abilities. He didn't think he was that rude to Melee, or that absorbed into himself. He made his intentions clear… didn't he?

After all, he was there for her after her family was killed…

Then again, if he remembered correctly, he gave her but a few days off before having her come back to work. Even in that time frame where she was suppose to be grieving; he called her to do work his schedule… he never let her grieve. When she returned, he never asked her how she felt, how she was doing. She was distant and quiet for months on end. All that mattered to him was that she was maintaining and kept to his agenda. Then, when she finally spoke like her old self again, he told her to lose weight.

"I have a standard, and you are part of that standard. You would look so much more beautiful if you lost weight." She didn't take kindly to the suggestion, until he insisted upon it. "Mimi, if you still want to work here. You need to look like you belong here." He warned. She got the message that time. In the months that followed he watched as she slimmed herself down. She lost the weight and became a far more slender and beautiful assistant, one finally worthy of him. In the time she lost the weight, she began to change. She would talk back to him, stand her ground a lot more than usual to the point they were arguing constantly. He thought she was merely asserting her dominance or Melee merely had too much energy to burn.

He realized her potential of being a hero during a monster attack. They were in the studio when one happened to have stormed in, aiming for him. Melee grabbed whatever she could get her hands on. It happened to have been a fist full of sharp pencils. With great accuracy, she threw them hard enough to break the monster flesh, and deep enough to hit vital organs. Before it could even make it to Sweet Mask, the monster collapsed and fell dead at his feet.

It was then he insisted on training her to be his bodyguard, not that he needed one. But it would keep Melee close to him at all times. She resented him for it. "Why can't I do what I want to do?" she questioned him one day. "Don't get me wrong, if this was a promotion, I would be paid more!"

"Mimi, it's for your best interests. I have heard you wish to become a hero. I can help you. I am one myself." He boosted.

"I know that, I am not stupid. But the question is, why do you have to be with me at all times? I can be a hero just fine without you."

"You don't understand how the system works, after all. I am the top of A Class, if you have the talent and skills to get into S Class. You have to surpass me. At the moment, you are just dipping your toes into this, you have no idea what lies ahead of you. But, I do. I can train, and show what is expected out of you!"

Her arms crossed. "First off, it's Melee. Second of all, I know what I can do. I am a Brawler for God's sakes!" she protested. "My family has been heroes to the cities for years, I know what is expected and what needs to be done. Don't say I am clueless to this whole process!" she snapped back.

He would place his hand on her shoulder. "Tsk, tsk. You are young and foolish, let me explain everything to you. And when you listen, you will understand why things are the way they are. Now, I want you to practice your throwing abilities…"

"I don't need projectiles. I can hit hard enough."

"You need to stand out, Mimi. You have short-range weapons, but long range will do you good. Trust me on this."

She sighed but agreed to do so. She trained long and hard and became good at throwing not just shurikens, but other small projectiles with great accuracy. It was impressive to say the least, but then Amai realized as good as she is, she may go into this full time. He could lose her as an assistant, and that he couldn't afford. He tried to convince her to stay on as a mere bodyguard for himself. Yet, she would go behind his back and complete heroic feats without his permission. She also trained in the chakra point blocking, he never agreed to allow her to learn such a thing, especially since she was suppose to be focused on him.

He took exception to it. "Mimi, this isn't a job for you!" he protested to her. "You could get hurt or killed like your family did, are you going to follow that path!" he demanded.

She defied him. "Yes!" she said. "It's what Brawlers do. And it's MELEE!" she roared. Her head shook with disbelief. "After all these years, you still won't call me by my name. I've had it. I quit!"

"You can't! Mimi!"

"MELEE!" she snapped. "And I just did!"

After that, she became a full time hero. Due to her connection with him, she made it into B Class right off the bat. She climbed the ranks fast, so much so that Amai stepped in every so often to check on her. But he knew if he made an appearance, he would get the credit and she wouldn't get as much notoriety for her actions. It kept her rank down for the most part, but she persevered. She managed to avoid the Fubuki group yet he lost track of her when the monster association and Garou came to the forefront.

He didn't see her again until it was announced that she was to be moved up to A Class. Of course, Amai put in his two cents worth and tried to keep her in the B Class to prove to her, he knew the system and how it worked. He wasn't in the final vote when he got word of Garou being in the Heroes Association in one of the medical labs. He immediately left and kept watch over hm rather than speak his last peace of Melee and her possible promotion.

Yet, he heard of it. They allowed her in A Class. He overlooked it for the time being until he heard the Tank Top army a few days later speak about their encounter with Garou and Shuriken Star. His blood ran cold when he learned that she was spending time with the human monster of all people! Amai went to the association and demanded that something be done about Garou, he was suppose to be under the watch of Silverfang and yet he was seen walking as a free man.

When he got word about other heroes confronting Garou, he assumed the human monster got the beating he deserved, and yet he somehow escaped from them with a smoke screen. Amai went to check out the incident for himself, and found her shuriken smoke stars. He was quick to confront Sitch about the incident and know Garou was not keeping to the rules nor was Bang watching him properly as he vowed he would.

Bang insulted him with the notion of Star being paired with Garou. The idea sickened him. He tried to talk her out of it, and yet she was too stubborn to listen. Still, he didn't want her to be paired with him. He tried countless times to interfere, to wrench her from the side of the human monster and keep her distance. Yet, the more he tried, the more she fought him and remained with Garou despite his protest of it all. Even the association saw fit to be his 'guardian' as it were.

Garou tainted her mind, he showed a side that no other has seen of him before. He helped her, saved her and she returned the favor. Somehow, she was making him into a hero!

He still thinks Garou deserved to die for all that he did. Yet, as the association saw fit, with her around him, he became a reluctant hero in a sense. She brought out the best in him, he used his power and strength to help the cities and its peoples. He wasn't hero hunting, but bounty hunting with her. The more time they spent together, the more he saw the spark between them. The look in Garou's eyes was one he has seen before. Melee even got the twinkle in hers…

"Hey…"

Snapping out of his daze, Amai looked up and saw Hunter lingering in the doorway. "Mind if I come in?"

"It's your house." He said.

Hunter eased himself into the room and closed the door. He kept his back to the wall until he slowly slid down against it and sat before Amai. I'm sorry about pushing you on the subject matter today." He said. "I didn't realize… how you really felt about my mom," he then laughed a little. "I didn't realize you were an emotional eater too…"

Sweet Mask gave but a brief smirk. "You think you know the full story, don't you? As for the eating, the monster was still alive. It gave me a chance to make it suffer as it should."

"You think I know the full story? No, I don't," Hunter paused as he stared out into space for a moment. "All I know is I hit a tender area of your with words rather than fists, and it hurt a lot. But, I promise, I won't say anything."

"What makes you think I give a damn if you say anything or not?" muttered Amai.

"Because, you want my mom to know… but you don't either." Said Hunter, he then snorted. "Do you think you would have had a son like me if you were the one who won her heart?"

"Ugh, that's disgusting. No" Amai said defiantly. "No, my son would be proper, handsome like me. He would have his mother's eyes and her brilliance…" he pause, realizing what he was saying he shook his head clear. "Quit asking such stupid questions!"

Hunter smiled for a moment, but then sighed. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I would say you are opening up to me."

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you don't know when to stop talking," said Amai. "You can leave now, I am done with you. I need to rest and sleep off this thing before the next patrol you will force me on. I don't wish to work on a full stomach."

Hunter smirked but he left without saying another word. It gave Sweet Mask a lot to think about. Perhaps it's true. Everything he's been doing, the anger and resentment against the M Class, it's all because he lost the woman he cared about.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"It was a snake like man, but… it wasn't the M Class Dragon, Snek. It was someone different."

"Young lady, who did you think it was?"

The girl was reluctant to speak, she became shy but never said his name. She only called him 'the blue serpent'

Sweet Mask cringed as he watched the late night news. People have blurred photos of him and they are posted all over the TV stations and Internet. No one has quite figured out it is him just yet, but he was grateful his manager who was interviewed insisted everything was good on his end. "Amai Mask is out doing his own thing right now, taking a break from his busy schedule," there was no mention of him being a snake monster. He turned the TV off for the night and lay on the floor. His stomach has been acting up, moaning oddly and churning, yet nothing is digesting. He didn't really care to think about it for the moment, but he kept wondering how long it would be before the world knew that Sweet Mask was a snake monster?

What would they say?

How would they react?

"This isn't going to end well for me," he said with a sigh. Amai was about to turn in for bed, when his bedroom door opened. Peering up he saw Draven sneaking into his room once more. "Must you?" he asked.

Draven froze. "It's the same nightmare…" he whispered. "Please?"

Amai rolled his eyes. "Like I have much of a choice." He knew no matter what he said or did, the kid wasn't going anywhere. Draven was very cautious as he picked his spot and laid on top of Amai. Of course he had to choose the lump of the monster he just ate that day. Draven fell asleep rather quickly, before Amai could follow suit, his door opened again. Goliath peered in. "Oh for the love of…" he muttered. "You too?"

Goliath shook his head. "No, I won't," he explained, but held up a blanket. "It's for my brother." He draped it with care over top of Draven before taking his leave. Amai sighed and fell asleep a short time later.

Despite the extra weight on his back, it was strange. It felt… nice. The warmth of another, the blanket certainly helped him keep warm. By the morning, Amai actually felt rested! Draven was still out cold on him, he won't be able to move until he wakes up. With a sigh, Amai found his notebook and began to pen out ideas for songs. A few came to mind, but others were flowing out of him like never before. They weren't the usual cheery ones that his fans come to adore, more along the lines of heartache and loss. He nearly filled four pages when Draven finally woke up. He slid off the side of Sweet Mask before stretching himself out. "Thank you." He said. Draven stood up and left the room shortly after.

"Again, how did Snek put up with that?" he wondered. With the day anew, Amai rose up he tested his body and found he could move about just enough to appear elegant, and slithered out. He peered down the hall and saw everyone at the table having breakfast. He was reluctant to even leave the room now. After all, he's not one of them, he never will be.

"Sweet! Want some coffee?" called Max.

"Fresh brewed!" chimed Suiryu.

He slowly glided out of the room and approached the kitchen with caution, despite the fact that he wasn't really part of the group, they reached out and offered him a place to sort of stand. He couldn't quite coil himself just yet, but he appreciated the spot. Approaching the table, he said nothing as a black coffee was placed before him. They passed along cream and sugar for him to dress himself.

"So Suiryu says that I couldn't do the move, so I went and I did it!" Hunter said offhandedly.

"We just made that move, Garou and I. How the hell could you pull it off?" Suiryu demanded.

"I'm his kid, what would you expect?"

The table snickered. Amai looked about and found different little snacks scattered about, the twins ate what appeared to be a normal looking meal, everyone else was taking the treats along with their hot drinks. He appeared reluctant to reach for one, until he heard Garou sigh aloud. "Take a damn cookie if you want one!" he said.

Amai was stunned as he reached for one and placed it with his drink. "What, do you think we're going to bite?" questioned Pac.

"It's just…"

"You thought just because we're punishing you, you wouldn't be allow to have a snack or sit with us? What is this high school?" demanded Garou. "I told you before, we are not going to deprive you of comforts. Eat your damn cookie."

"I'm curious though… how are you feeling?" asked Melee. "Your metabolism appears to have finally slowed down. You're not starving anymore. You did some heroics yesterday according to Hunter but wouldn't admit to your own name." She paused. "Why did you eat again when you were still digesting the last monster you ate?"

He kept silent, but ate the cookie with his coffee.

Alley stood from the table and stretched herself out. "I'm going to be going to the lab once again, I got to get a few things ready before that damn snow comes in." she announced.

"What are you making?" asked Amai.

The table paused, an awkward pause at that. "You… want to know?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'm curious, do you mind me asking?"

"Well, it was for Snek, but for the next while, it's going to be for you." She explained.

He paused; curiosity got the better of him now. "Oh?"

"You are feeling a little sluggish aren't you? No real energy?" she asked. Sweet Mask nodded. "I have made a small thermal system for you to wear. It will keep you warm outside when you are on patrol and hunting. That, and there is the other thing I just finished."

"Other thing?"

"Not yet," she said with a smirk. "Soon enough though. I want Snek here to see it."

With that, she left the house. Amai reached for another cookie as Pac announced he was going to go as well. "I got to get use to this again…" he stripped off what appeared to be fresh bandages and revealed the red scales he had once before, they were just starting to grow back under the dried and blistered skin. He took his leave shortly after.

"I'm going to the association today and meet Genos there. We are going to launch that new system I was telling you guys about," said Hunter.

"New system?" Sweet Mask questioned.

"It's going to piss you right off. Genos, Alley and I have made a virtual reality system to test heroes and their potential. We are going to be testing some of the top heroes in A Class and the lower ones of B Class. If they pass this test, they go on to another test, a physical one. They pass that, the association takes into consideration of rising their rank."

"What?" question Amai. "You are going to have a mere… game, test these heroes in power and strength? That's not how it works!" he protested.

"Which is why we are merely testing it now. There are some heroes in B Class that deserve to be in A Class. There are a few exceptions of heroes in A Class that deserve to be in S Class. You can at least agree with me on that notion, there's one there that belongs in S Class despite his appearance… am I right?"

"Saitama…" he whispered.

"Yeah, Saitama."

"Be honest, this is just to get him into S Class isn't it?" asked Max.

"Partly, he deserves to be! He has done so much other heroics but he never files reports, why should he have to? Also he took down major threats long before he registered as a hero too. I know he told me some of the monsters he has defeated."

Amai was oddly silent, he didn't quite know what to make of this new idea. "May I come along and see it?" he asked.

Once more the room fell into a stunned silence. "Why are you all quiet when I ask of something?"

"You never ask!" said Melee. "You never really cared unless it involved you somehow. But, you want to see what Hunter has proposed?"

"I don't quite have anything else to do. I did just eat yesterday and it's not going anywhere."

Garou peered behind Amai and nodded. "Yeah, that bastard is idle." He said.

Sweet Mask cringed. "I don't wish to hear that right now," he muttered, he then turned to Hunter. "I am curious to what you are proposing… I would like to see it, but I want to stay hidden."

"Amai, people are going to find out sooner than later…" said Melee.

"I want them to find out on MY terms!" he protested. "My God, you people thing this is easy? It's simple for me to go out into the world and reveal this!" he demanded as he motioned to himself. He shook his head to it all. "No, I can't, I cannot do it, not like that… no like this…"

Melee sighed aloud as Garou merely smirked. "You really are all about the look huh? You can't see beyond the flesh of another, pitiful to say the least."

"You are not one to lecture," protested Amai.

"Dad… leave him alone," said Hunter.

Garou froze. "Wait, what?" he questioned. "You want me to leave him alone? Kiddo, this is MY fun time! It's part of the reason why he's living here. So I can mock him!"

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Dad… I know he deserves it. I know we have been waiting for a moment like this, but for now… please, lay off?"

A low growl came from Garou, he turned and glared at Amai before turning back to his coffee. Even the twins were starting to look at Sweet Mask oddly. "You want to come, fine by me, I know of a side booth you can watch and I'll be sure no one sees you if that's what you want."

He nodded. Finishing his drink, Amai went back to his room and retrieved the hoodie he had before, yet after yesterday, he found he tore the thing in half! He forgot to take it off before eating the monster, and didn't realize the extent of the damage until now. But it was all he had. With a sigh, he placed it on and joined Hunter outside. They left for the Association that moment.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Hunter stood before the masses as he introduced the heroes to the Virtual Genocide Reality system. The machine that was on his right appeared nothing out of the ordinary, a reclined chair, computers and a head scan device that goes over the user's head. "Behold, a combination of experience, virtual reality and ingenuity! Ladies and Gentlemen of A and B Class, this is the test of heroes!"

Beside him was Genos who took over. "In this simulation, you will be encountering monsters from my past experiences as well as some completely forged for the purpose of testing. We have established a concept idea of what is to be expected from heroes from various levels. For example, those in A Class looking to reach the S Class, we have concluded and agreed that for such a hero to make it, they need to defeat a high demon level threat and a dragon threat on their own power and talents."

"What? That's not fair!" protested Iaian. "I have trained with my fellow disciples in the way of the sword, we…"

"Iaian, there will come a day when you will have no one but yourself to rely upon," explained Hunter. "There is nothing wrong with having excellent team work, I get it. But what happens if you are the only one standing?"

He was about to speak, yet held his tongue.

"We have called for you all here today to test the system, for this may assist in promotions and ranks. You will be placed in situations where you must defeat the monster. No one else will see these images but those of the association, Hunter and myself to help determine if your ranks should increase. Those who are deemed worthy and pass the virtual challenge will face a physical, real life one. Pass that, and the association will take into consideration on whether you are permitted to bypass and move on to the next class. And so you are aware, there are members of the association watching and observing this as we speak. Your rank could change today."

Whispers soon began, some were smiling at the thought. "So this could be an easy ticket into S Class?" asked Stinger.

Hunter laughed. "Far from it." He said. "Your physical challenge, if you get that far… is against me!"

The confident grins vanished. Heroes began to go a little pale in the face as more nervous whispers began to fill the room.

"What if we fail the test?" asked Blue Fire.

"You do not decrease in rank, you can try this test again in six months after," said Genos. "Now. Who wishes to go first?"

"I will!" Hunter looked down and saw a rather ordinary man come forward. "I'm called Glasses. Class B, Rank 20!"

Hunter waved him up. Glasses got into the chair as Genos hooked up the system. From there on a tablet, Genos started the test. All the other heroes heard were the sound effects. There were noises of monsters, people screaming, weather factors and then…

CRASH!

Glasses jumped in the machine, yet as quickly as it happened. The computer went off. "Simulation over, victor, Glasses."

"He took out a Tiger level threat." Hunter announced. "Next test."

This one made him sweat. Glasses was turning red in the face, his brow dripped with perpetration as he appeared to be struggling hard and yet violently. Suddenly. "GGGGAAAAHHHHH!" he roared.

The simulation stopped, the computer blipped. "Simulation over, victor, Glasses."

The heroes were starting to look worried. Glasses eyes opened, as he appeared beaten up and looking like hell. "Do you want to continue?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, I won't stop now." He said. Hunter turned to Genos and gave the nod. The next test began, yet as quickly as it started.

"Test terminated, Glasses, loss." Glasses nearly jumped out of the chair.

"What the hell was that?!" he demanded.

"I will explain later, however, Glasses, you managed to defeat a level demon monster on your own." Stated Genos. He inputted the data and nodded, next thing he knew a blip came to the tablet Genos was holding, he gave a nod and turned to Glasses. "Congratulations, you are now in Class A rank 40."

Glasses froze to the news. "What?" he whispered.

"Class A." Hunter said with a grin on his face. "You proved yourself in the simulation. I have no doubt with more training, you will climb up the ranks here in Class A, keep up the great work!"

"Wait, how can a simulation determine that!" demanded Heavy Tank Loin Cloth.

"Very well, Glasses, would you spar with me?" Hunter asked.

The young hero froze to the request, but nodded. They cleared a section of the room. There Hunter stood and invited Glasses to go all out. "Don't hold back, let it out and let's see what you got!"

He nodded and stood at the ready. "Combatants, ready?" Genos called. "BEGIN!" Glasses ran at him hard. One punch Hunter could tell this one had great potential. His speed was impressive, his strength growing with each strike. Despite how tried he was from the simulation, Glasses still possessed the power, and was able to keep up when Hunter began to move about and tried to avoid the attack. Even the other heroes were impressed when Glasses kept going. Hunter struck him once, it repelled him back quite a ways. He didn't hit him hard, he wasn't looking to harm Glasses to say the least, yet he knew the hero felt it. Yet, the important part, he kept on his feet.

"Enough" Hunter called.

"Whoa, I didn't know you were that strong!" said Stinger.

Death Gatling was impressed. "I recruited him to help me hunt your father back in the day." He said.

Hunter smirked. "I can see why!"

They spent the next few hours testing the heroes. Other than Glasses, no one moved up in rank. Not even Atomic Samurai's disciples could move beyond their position. Yet, they all agreed that it was challenging, the test was valid and eye opening. "So, with everyone done here, are there any complaints about the system? Who thought it was unfair?"

A few heroes raised their hands, yet the rest did not. "So, what do you do now? You train!" Hunter announced. "Thank you all for coming."

With that the heroes left the room. "This has been very insightful." Said Genos.

"I was hoping Saitama would have shown up, it would get him into S Class easily."

"There was a sale today…"

"Damn it, I forgot to check that…" suddenly the side doorway open. He slinked out and came to inspect the machine.

Genos on the other hand got defensive. "You are not Snek!" he warned and charged his weapons.

"It's okay Genos, he's cool, and he's with me."

Genos paused and stared. "Amai Mask?" he asked.

He took the hoodie off, revealing his face. "Yes, and I would appreciate that this information does not leave this room."

"I am confused…"

"Oh right you weren't at the meeting dad called for a few days ago. Long story, we'll tell you tonight at dinner."

"Tonight?" asked Sweet Mask.

"A little arrangement dad made with Saitama after he helped him get home to confront you. Genos and Saitama come over for dinner once a week."

"Oh… I see…" Amai paused but turned back to the machine. "It appears impressive, but I am not convinced it can prove a hero's worth."

"It's only being tested right now. Glasses however did deserve the promotion," said Genos.

"Still, I don't think one should trust a machine to gauge another's power and strength…"

"Coming from the man who determines that by looks and beauty of a hero."

He was about to say something, but a small smirk came over Amai. "Touché."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"You really turned him into a serpent monster and it let Snek be human? How's that turning out?"

"So far, really good. Got to admit though, the soothsayer's power is sketchy as hell!"

It was an unusual night. Garou lived up to his promise to Saitama and Genos and brought them over for dinner. Hunter joked about with the two heroes and jokingly broke up with Saitama. "It's not you, it's me…" he started off saying. There was a laugh from the family, and yet Saitama sat there straight-faced.

"Okay," was all he could say. But then a smile appeared. "Wait… you are no longer going to be crowding my apartment! This is great!" he said.

There was no longer a need for Hunter to be taken as his disciple anymore, so Saitama was now free. "By the way, congrats on making it to rank 1. Well done," said Genos.

"Yeah, well, I doubt I got there alone. SOMEONE pushed my rank"

Lingering in the living room was Amai Mask, who merely kept watching the TV in a messy coil. He spread himself all about the floor and lay rather contently before the television. Using the monster still in his stomach, it became a mere prop for him to rest on as he stared at the TV. He peered over at the table but never said anything or confessed to doing anything of the sort. "Anyway, Saitama, if you have the chance, I may have a way of getting you into the S Class if you are interested. The virtual reality that Genos has made has greatly improved, not like whatever is thrown at you matters. But it will prove your strength and capabilities to the association. We managed to promote one hero yesterday into A Class." Hunter explained.

"I would have gone yesterday but there was a sale. You know I don't miss a sale,"

"Well aware of that, I should have looked at the fliers ahead of time."

"It's a good opportunity," said Garou. "Quite frankly, you should have been in S Class after our bout!"

"I don't think anyone would have believed what happened,"

Hunter paused as he turned to Amai Mask. "How come you didn't say anything about it?" he asked.

Amai turned and forced a small laugh. "Garou was a threat, however since Saitama didn't go through with the punishment the others called for, it wasn't mentioned. Who would want to be linked to the defeat of Garou… but not the ending of him? Our names would have been all over that, and we would be blamed for letting him escape. Like hell I would allow my name get attached to that disaster."

"That's shitty," said Hunter. But he turned to Saitama. "I am grateful though that you showed my dad mercy."

"As I said to the others, he was just some guy in a monster suit." Saitama went back to his meal and savored it. "Mmm, stir fry. I'm surprised you didn't make hot pot."

"Next time," said Melee, she then paused. "But I always make that for you when you come over." Said Melee.

"I love hot pot though."

"Master Saitama does indeed, we usually have it at least three times a week." Explained Genos.

"Okay, I get it, hot pot when Saitama comes for dinner."

"So, what are you doing training wise?" asked Suiryu. "Anything new? Any new techniques?"

"Huh? Why would I need techniques?"

"He can still beat me with punches… he doesn't need anything more unless he wants to change it up." Said Garou, but then he realized something. "We haven't sparred in ages."

Saitama's eyes widened. "No… we haven't. Hey, wanna do a mock battle tomorrow?"

"This, I would like to see myself" said Amai.

"Of course, you just want to see me get my ass kicked!" called Garou. "But tomorrow, sure. I could go for a spar session. It's been a while. I don't think I've gotten that much stronger…"

"Dad… you nearly died a little while ago, we all nearly died," muttered Pac. "We all got stronger because of it."

"Wait, what?" demanded Sweet Mask.

"Near death experiences strengthen the family, it happened to Garou when he was first becoming a monster. It happens every so often, but not many have been able to bring him close to death like what happened a while ago. Damn house of evolution," Melee growled.

"What about you? Have you gotten stronger?" Amai asked Melee.

"I haven't really checked, I also don't quite gage myself like I use to. I am certain I have, but at the moment, it's not overly important to know."

"I think it is," said Garou. "I think you have gotten much stronger than before. Granted, you have limited control over the power you've gained from the S Class…"

"It's because no one focuses on a single power at once and allow it to develop" said Goliath.

The table froze and stared at him. He looked about as he continued to eat but was confused to the stares. "What? You didn't know that? What do you think Draven and I have been doing? We focused on one power at a time to see if we had it, and then strengthen it. When you are dedicated to a single idea, it's much easier to control and command it."

"Damn it, he's younger than us and he figured it out long before any of us have even mastered our own strengths!" protested Pac.

"Hey, remember, you three were the first of our kids to be born, we had no idea any of this was going to happen!" Garou protested. "Guess the twins learned off of you and figured this out…"

The twins were grinning from ear to ear on the matter. "Man, your kids are weird," said Saitama. "You think five is enough for you?"

Melee choked a little on her dinner, Garou however was smiling from ear to ear. "We're trying again, but I want a daughter."

Amai cringed to the news. "Must you speak of that during your dinner?" he asked in a condescending tone. "Not everyone wants to know your… habits."

"Seriously? Five isn't enough for you?" asked Saitama.

"They grow up so fast, half the time, I don't even get to enjoy them being kids!" Garou protested. "It doesn't help that they grow when someone puts them in a stressful situation. They force themselves to grow so they are strong enough to fight back."

"Man, that would suck wouldn't it? Being kids one moment, then whatever you age to the next?"

"Tell me about it!" the kids said aloud.

With the meal done, Melee packed up most of the leftovers for Saitama and Genos, she made extra desserts and sent them along with them. When they left for the night, the family joined Amai by the TV. He kept staring at the news as more and more reports of the blue serpent were making its rounds. "I'm surprised no one has figured out it's you yet" said Hunter.

"Again, I wish to keep it that way." Yet there was a look on Amai's face, he knows sooner than later, the world will realize it is him. But how he wants them to know, that is the challenge.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Everything itched.

Amai woke up in the middle of the night, uncomfortable to say the least. His whole body felt as if it were chaffing, he hasn't had this feeling since he used inferior skin products. "My God, what is this? What is this body doing now!" he muttered bitterly. It was so bad he got up and went outside to try and relieve the sensation. From head to tail his body crept and crawled, it felt tight to say the least, his skin crackled as he moved. When he turned, Amai nearly screamed at the skin that began to flake off his body. He appeared nearly sick at the sight of it. "Oh God!" he muttered and tried to fight the gagging sensation.

"You're shedding"

He turned and saw Melee from a distance, standing at the front door in her bathrobe. With a roll of her eyes she went out and explained to Amai that he was merely shedding his scales. "This stuff is old and dry and no, there is no amount of moisturizer that would have changed this. You grow as you eat," She paused and looked down his body. "Yep, you're growing faster than Snek was, then again, you're eating twice as much as Snek usually does to say the least."

The gagging stopped, he turned and tried to pick off the skin but even that disgusted him. "How do I get this off of me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Rub yourself against a tree or a rock, eventually the skin will snag and just peel off of you. Go on!" she said.

He was reluctant to try, yet as he began to brush himself against the trees, he felt the dried skin become loose, he found the best way to scratch his itch was against a jagged rock that eventually broke the skin. He would slink across the ground as the scales snagged and began to strip off. The comfort he felt, the pleasure, it cascaded over his sense. When he was able to remove the last of his skin, Amai felt better. He turned and saw how his body now glistened in the moonlight. "Never… have I ever felt so… smooth and glossy" he said and caressed his new scales. He rubbed down the front of himself, but paused, his underbelly scales were different than before. They felt jagged and nearly sharp in a sense. "This… is strange…"

Melee snickered. "Your winter tire" she laughed. "Snek grew those too, when he is able to take the cold, his scales adapted to the snowfall, you can slither easily through snow and ice if need be. But you need to keep yourself warm to do so… huh, Snek's scales didn't come in until the end of October. This is what? Middle of September? We must be getting snow soon if that's the case."

"Oh… I see…" Amai said awkwardly.

Melee turned to go back into the house, but he couldn't let her, not just yet. "Melee…" he said.

She paused and turned to him. He tripped over his own tongue, but found the words refused to come out of him. He grew frustrated but then stopped attempting to speak. "Go back to bed, Amai. But make sure you clean up after yourself, there's a bin at the side of the house to put your skin in." She went back to bed shortly after, Amai sighed and cleaned up his scales and discarded them as she told him to.

#

"Ooo winter is coming early."

"Shut up."

Garou snickered as he saw Amai the next morning with his new scales already developing on his underbelly. He wasn't in the mood to be mocked, worst still he was to go out on patrol today with Hunter, yet felt unable to. The weather has gotten colder, Amai could barely get himself out of bed. Peering outside it did snow last night! All the more reason he didn't want to go outside. The coffee helped, and yet he still felt sluggish. Not to mention the monster he ate from a few days ago still lingered, he expected that to have been long gone by now like all the others.

Alley was the next person to wake up, when she saw Sweet Mask, she appeared to have remembered something. Rushing back to her room, she returned and presented him with her warming device. It was a long fiber optic like strip that went down the base of his spine, from there little wires would stretch out and over Amai's body to distribute the heat evenly. She gave her instructions to him and explained the whole process.

He took it and gave his thanks to her. "I don't think I am going on patrol though, my sweater is destroyed."

"Then don't wear the damn sweater," scolded Garou.

"I NEED IT!" he protested.

"Then fix it!" snapped Garou. "You should know how to sew."

Amai froze to the comment, he never knew how to sew, and he didn't have to. After all, he had people who did that for him. In fact, Melee used to fix his clothing in a pinch. With a sigh, he went and retrieved his torn sweater. When he saw Melee he showed it to her. "Can you fix this for me, please?" he asked with sincerity in his voice.

She sighed aloud. "Normally I would tell you to fix it yourself… but you can't use a sewing machine if your life depended on it. Okay, just this once!" she said. He smiled and watched her fix the sweater with relative ease. She was able to med it, nearly to the point of it being good as new. Amai was quick to put it on and test it. It fit! "Now, just remember to unzip the hoodie if you are going to eat something, that way you won't burst out of it!" she scolded.

He gave but a nod and then went back to Alley device. With a little assistance from Alley he got the strip placed down his back, a small device that clipped around his core held the heat pack in place, when it was turned on, he felt the warmth spread through every inch of his body.

"My God, child. This is remarkable!" he said and savored the comfort.

"Yeah, yeah, you and Hunter have to get going!" Alley scolded.

Hunter was already outside waiting, Amai slithered off not before tightening his hoodie and donning on his sunglasses.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

With Amai out of the house, Garou turned to Melee oddly. "Something is off about him, more so than usual." He said aloud. "I don't know if I should be concerned about it or if something is going on with him…"

Melee nodded in agreement. "He's not acting like himself. Even just now with the hoodie, normally he would have tossed it at me and expect it to be fixed, instead, he asked…"

"I wonder what he and Hunter have been taking about, I mean our own son is coming to his defense, what on earth is happening to our kid?"

"Beats me, the more time Hunter spends with him the more Amai changes. Like you said I don't know if it is something we should be concerned about or if perhaps he is starting to see beyond himself. I have my doubts about it, I mean, he's going to be humble for the next while, yet the moment he is returned to his old self again, he will go back to his ways."

Garou nodded. "I thought this experience would be more daunting than it is for him. I am surprised to have quickly he has adjusted, even his diet."

"Remember, Garou. He's deprived himself to maintain an image, since he doesn't have one to uphold right now, it's all out the window. If anything it just might be a taste of freedom he never really had before."

He shuttered at the thought of it all. "We're HELPING him. Gah, even those words tasted terrible."

Melee snickered. Garou then looked to her oddly. His hand came to rest gently on her stomach. "Any changes?" he asked of her. "Have you been hungrier? Anything of the sort? It's been beyond a week since I made that 'prediction'."

She sighed and shook her head. "I haven't noticed anything, but it does take time, even if you dictated a week, it takes more than that to know for sure."

He sighed. "I really want another daughter."

"What is with you and having a daughter? You have one already"

"I know, but after you said that they are rare in your family, once in a generation… I like to challenge that. No one tells me what I can and can't have, and if I want another daughter I get one damn it!"

Melee laughed to his determination. "HEY! SOME OF US ARE STILL IN THE HOUSE!" protested Pac.

"Oh yeah, only Hunter and Amai left. Oops." Said Garou.

Pac came out of his room, with a sigh he turned to his parent. "Really? More siblings?" he asked aloud.

"What? You don't want more siblings?"

He shrugged his shoulders to it all. Pac took a seat at the table, suddenly, he fell face first into it. Garou cringed as his son's forehead landed with a thud on the wooden table. "Why must I go through this again?"

Garou froze as did Melee. "You need to be more specific here kid, is it what we were talking about or something else?" asked Garou.

Pac held up his arms and revealed the serpents growing back. They were smaller than before and some have yet to break through the old skin. "Why do I have to endure this again?" he said. He wasn't the least bit thrilled with the idea of growing back the snake like dragons, yet, there was no going back after the first time. "This sucks!"

"Yeah, it does, but it's just how you are. You think it was easy for me to grow mine back? That hurt like a bitch!"

"But dad… you're use to it, aren't you? I'm not, I still can't control them!"

"You're fighting your own body, that's why."

"Gaaaaaahhhhh" Pac moaned lowly. He wasn't in pain, just frustrated.

Melee sat across from her son and gently lifted his head up off the table. "Pac, why does it bother you so much? Zenko didn't mind them, did she?"

"No…" he sighed. "But… I mind them. I want to be normal mom, I don't want to be… this!" he said. "I mean… I grew up with kids calling me a monster all the time, just because my eyes were red. Now, they don't call me a monster as often, but you can see it in their eyes."

"Pac, I never wanted to be this. You know that," said Garou. "Sometimes, it's beyond our control."

"But dad… you were human! I saw you as a human and you looked awesome! You were still strong and powerful… I wanted to be like that."

"You saw what happened though, when that power went to Amai, and he couldn't handle it. He nearly took out a whole city block just to strike me down!" Garou paused. "Pac, like it or not, you need to look at it this way. You are capable of controlling this. Not a lot of people are, look at Amai Mask. He's strong to begin with. One of the strongest heroes I know, even with his strength, he couldn't. It was impossible for him."

"I know… I know… I just wished that maybe that soothsayer power you had, you could let someone else take this, and I could be normal…"

"No" Melee said flat out. "We are not risking that. Pac, sweetheart. I love you dearly, but this is a responsibility we all have to bare. Not just you."

Pac slipped from his mom's hand and his forehead smacked against the table once more. "Just leave me here…" he muttered.

"I think he needs to get out more," whispered Melee.

Garou shook his head. "I think it's time for some tough love."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

It was strange.

Amai began to notice something odd about Hunter every so often. In the city, when they would patrol, something caught his eye. Suddenly Hunter would turn to him and say. "How about you go check the other side of the street, to see if there's anything I missed. Better still, back track for me just in case."

Amai would protest, yet Hunter would threaten to take his hoodie off of him then and there, not wanting to challenge the threat, he would go and do as he was asked. There would always be nothing there, yet when he got back to Hunter, it appeared a crowd would have just disbursed. Amai grew curious to the event, he would approach Hunter once more and inquire about the event, but nothing would be spoken. "Just some citizens not too thrilled with me, that's all." He would say. Amai didn't question it, he knew there were people who resented Garou and his family still, most of his fan base being some of those people!

Through out the day, Hunter would try and make small talk with him. Yet with so many people around, he found Sweet Mask oddly silent. Hunter knew that his name shouldn't be said aloud, so he paused and thought of something. "Hey, if I can't call you by your name, how about a nickname?" he asked.

Amai nodded his head, there were too many people around him, if he spoke his cover would be blown. So Hunter paused and thought. "Does Blue sound good to you?" The question surprised him, Hunter knew he wasn't going to speak aloud, he could have given him a really dumb or annoying nick name to use and he would have to agree with it. Yet, Blue? It was to the point due to his scale color, the news has called him the blue serpent hero so he nodded in agreement. "Okay, Blue it is!"

The day was eventful.

The two of them took down three monsters. Amai was stunned when he saw Hunter eat one of them, and yet he requested he not tell his mother and father. "They don't know I do this yet… not a word!" he said.

Amai merely nodded his head.

With the monsters defeated, for once, Sweet Mask didn't consume any of them. "Not hungry today Blue? Then again, you still look pretty full from the last one."

They as the people began to gather to see and thank their heroes, Mask noticed the looks people were giving him. He began to grow uncomfortable; he turned to Hunter and grabbed his arm. "Okay, we're going…" Hunter said without hesitation. They were quick to leave before too many people gathered around.

It was time to head for home once more. Sweet Mask wasn't quite feeling it today. Despite the device used to keep him warm, he felt today just wasn't what it should have been. Hunter took him to an area of the city where there were hardly any people and no one would hear him speak. Before they took off, Amai recalled something. "Wasn't something supposed to happen? Something important?" he asked Hunter.

"Where do you think we're going now?" Hunter replied with a grin.

They took off. He was stunned as he was taken back to the crater where Hunter and his family took him when he was took Garou's power. The place was a mess, he just realized the extent of the damage he caused. "Down there, is where we fought. You did quite a number to say the least."

Sweet Mask saw the destruction; nearly half the wall collapsed into ruins, there was a hole in the wall from where he shoved Hunter. It appeared to be utter chaos, and yet he couldn't quite believe he did this sort of demolition. He understood now why Hunter took him here when he couldn't control Garou's power. Had this been a city… it would have been destroyed. "So, you two came as well?"

Amai froze as he turned and saw Saitama and Genos lingering behind them. "Hey, is dad here yet?"

"Garou should be on his way shortly, he said something about needing to help your older brother Pac."

"What's with him?" asked Amai.

"Well, contrary to popular belief, my brother doesn't want to turn into anything like dad. He never has, and continues to fight it to this day. Pac… Pac is sensitive to say the least. I can control my body rather easily, he struggles since he is constantly fighting himself with it."

"I thought the children of Garou all want to grow up and be just like him!"

"Never assume Blue," said Hunter. "Besides, Pac needs to understand, it's genetics, and there's no stopping it. Also he can do a lot of good with that kind of strength, I just don't think he realizes that yet."

It wasn't long until Garou arrived with Pac and Melee. When he landed, he looked about and sighed. "I think we are going to have to find a new crater." He said to Saitama.

"Nah, this one is holding up okay, we're still out of the city and no one getting hurt. It should last us a while. Also the terrain will give us a more interesting fight."

"Now, before we fight, I want to let my son Pac have a turn…"

"Wait, what? Dad, I didn't intend on training today!"

"Bro, you need to get your skill up a little. Before you were better than me, but I've gotten better than you." Said Hunter.

"Prove it!"

"Here and now!"

"I hate it when the kids get like this," sighed Melee. "Don't hurt yourselves!" she announced.

They stood and watched from the side. Amai tried to coil himself up but couldn't quite get to the comfort level he wanted with the monster still lingering in his belly. Still, he got as relaxed as he could as the two sons of Garou took their stance. Genos went out to officiate and announced to the brothers that the contest will go for ten minutes or until one cannot proceed. With that, the fight was on!

As much as Amai wanted to see the two brothers battle it out, his sights kept turning to Melee. He wanted to talk to her, say something, anything at all to explain himself. Yet, how could he? Then a part of his wondered why should he anyway? What's the point? She isn't leaving Garou any time soon, she wouldn't care what he has to say. So he kept silent. He jumped through when the brothers clashed, both using the move Torrent against each other. Their energies opposing against one another, and yet neither one refused to yield! Hunter however was getting the advantage, he is able to strike his brother with the serpent dragons he possess, Pac had no defense against them or a way to block all of them from attacking at once! He did what he could, but was struck down hard, pinned in place and was at the mercy of Hunter!

Then he felt it.

Pac was agitated, and then he started screaming out in pain and agony. Hunter immediately got off and found his sibling fighting the growth within himself. One of the dragon serpents broke free from his back, it then turned to the burnt flesh and began to tear it off, devouring it and releasing the others! Amai was sick at the sight of it all. It lasted ten minutes until the creatures won out. They ate the old skin and Pac regained his ruby red scales and serpent dragons. They were quick to coil around him and take their place.

He wasn't happy about it either.

"Damn it!" he growled. "Why couldn't they just stay hidden!"

"Pac…" said Genos.

"Save it, I don't want to hear it. I'm going home" with that, he left in a hurry.

"Wow, I didn't think he would be that upset," said Saitama. But then he turned to Garou. "You ready?"

He stood and stretched himself out. "Yeah, I could go for an ass kicking. Let's do it!"

It confused Amai greatly, as Hunter took a seat next to him. He turned and questioned. "I don't understand the logic of this. Garou strives for victory, he lives and feeds off of it. If he knows he is going to lose to Saitama, then why does he agree to this?"

Hunter laughed. "Despite the loss, dad gets stronger. Saitama helps him gage his level, dad knows when he has gotten stronger and needs to adjust just in case he takes on a person. He doesn't want to accidently kill someone when stopping a monster. Besides, it's all in good fun. I think it helps him stay humble too."

"Humble?" Amai questioned.

"The rules of the bout are simple. The fight shall go on until one can no longer fight. Garou, we continue until you cannot. Your current record is 14 minutes and 54 seconds. Are you prepared?"

Garou paused, he did a quick breathing exercise before taking his position, the serious stance with intent of going all out in battle. "Ready" he said.

Saitama merely stood there, picking his nose. "Yeah, I'm good,"

"BEGIN!"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

It was glorious.

Amai couldn't help but cheer as Garou was thrown into the crater walls and was lodged in there for a good minute or so until he dropped out of it. Unconscious to say the least and hitting the ground hard, Amai stood up and applauded. "Well done Saitama! That was… beautiful!" he said with great contentment.

Yet as Amai cheered, everyone else when to check on Garou. He was battered and bloodied, yet smiled. "Wow… you really did get stronger. Normally that's a good twenty foot dent into the wall, now, you just hit it like a regular punch. Impressive." Said Saitama.

Garou shook off the blow, he spat the blood from his mouth before starting to heal over once more. "You lasted a full half hour!" said Genos. "Doubling your old time."

"Wow… I did get stronger. Who knew?" Garou said with a smirk.

"Wait, you mean to say he is far more powerful than before? I mean, how much stronger did he get?!" Amai demanded.

Saitama thought it over. "Well, when he called himself 'Awakened Garou' he was pretty strong, when he first became this, he was beyond that strength. What he's at right now. I would have to say nearly double that."

Amai froze. "D…double?" he whispered.

"I did just nearly die a while back, and as we explained, near death experiences brings out the power in my kids and I. I don't know about Melee…"

"Wanna check?" asked Saitama. Melee was reluctant to try, but he was insisting upon it. "Come on, one punch, let me have it!" he insisted.

Melee sighed and agreed. She stood before Saitama and prepared. Her fist clenched, her focus turned to him. She let it rip!

The sound barrier broke!

Saitama was thrown back just a small ways, yet he nodded, impressed to say the least. "I don't know her strength from before, but that was pretty good."

"Indeed, I have seen Melee in battle before," said Genos. "By my calculations, she has nearly doubled her strength as well."

"I'll bet if you fought more often, you would be on par with all the S Class and their abilities," said Garou.

She nodded, but then again, Melee appeared content with her power level. "I know I could get stronger, but for the moment, I am satisfied where I am."

Amai was stunned silent to say the least, he never knew Melee contained such strength before. He was aware that she took nearly all of the S Class's abilities and made them her own, and yet, he had never seen that strength combined into one person. "Well I think I am going to call it a day, it was fun while it lasted." Announced Saitama. "Until next week, hot pot dinner?"

Melee rolled her eyes. "Yes, I will make hot pot!" she said. Saitama was already excited on the feast to come. With that, he and Genos took their leave. Garou was just finishing healing up from the battle.

"Son of a bitch, got me good" he said and stretched out his back. "Still… half an hour huh?"

"Well done!" Melee gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now, let's get you home and into the shower, you're covered in dust!"

Amai kept looking about the crater, realizing that most of the damage done to it was caused by Garou and Saitama sparring. He couldn't help but feel this was a terrible idea on Saitama's part. Why is he helping Garou get stronger? It didn't sit well with him the least bit, but he knew not to say anything.

They flew back home, Garou immediately went to the shower. Amai felt he could use one too, yet didn't know how to go about doing so. "Is there a place for me to bathe?" he asked.

"You just shed your skin. You should be all cleaned up," said Hunter.

"I do prefer a cleansing shower myself. You can't tell me Snek never did"

There was an awkward pause between Melee and Hunter. "Okay, we won't then." Said Hunter.

Amai felt disgusted. He wanted to have a good cleansing, but how to go about doing it? He waited for Garou to finish, yet when he got to the bathroom he found only the top half of him would fit, the rest of him would go unclean. "Damn it, this isn't ideal!" but the continued to think it over, perhaps he needed a different approach.

Despite the cold weather, he went outside and discovered a waterfall at the base of the mountain. A cold shower would do just fine. Slithering down the step Amai went to the base of the falls and stood under the water.

It was freezing!

He endured since he was getting his body fully cleaned, and yet, he found himself unable to keep his eyes opened. The world was becoming a little hazy until he collapsed face first into the small lake at the base of the falls…


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Hey…. HEY! Wakey Wakey Princess!"

"Nothing? Normally that would get him up in no time."

"Dad, remember, he's a snake, he has snake like tendencies, the cold really shocked his body."

"I could have told him that. Then again, he doesn't want my advice unless he asks for it! Good thing I came by then."

Slowly, Amai came too. He blinked a few times and saw Snek staring down at him. "There he is!" he announced. "You're a dumbass!"

"What…"

"You heard me dumbass, who the hell takes a shower at the base of the waterfall in the first snowfall! Not to mention wearing something electrical while doing so. You forgot Alley's heat distribution system on your back!" said Snek. "You were lucky, I came by to check on things, when I saw you floating face first in the water!"

Amai slowly sat himself up, looking about he found he was in a sauna of sorts, everything was so warm and it felt wonderful! Nearly the whole house was here as Alley rolled her eyes. "Way to spoil the surprise Amai!" she scolded. "I've been working for months on this!"

"Where… where is this place?" he asked.

"Not too far from the house, I just finished the passageway so Snek could use it in the winter time. It's a hot spring! There's a natural ones on the mountain, Pac found it a few months ago, and I decided to box it in so we have our own little sauna. I was going to surprise everyone until you decided to give yourself a cold shock. Then there was no other choice but to use it to bring you back to consciousness!"

His body was still numb from it all, he couldn't bring himself to move much. So with a roll of her eyes, Alley levitated Amai off the ground, he held him over the largest hot springs before easing him down into it. From there, he fully woke his body returned to full function and then he felt complete and utter relaxation. "Looks nice," said Snek.

"Well the hot springs are for everyone. There's a section down over here for mom and I to use, but here, the larger one is for Snek… well Amai right now, the other it's all yours, so go nuts! I got to head back to the lab and fix Amai's heat device… again." She sighed.

When Alley left, the guys grinned, they stripped down and jumped into the hot spring. Snek savored it all. "My God, this is awesome!" he said. "I wish she made this last year, I spent nearly all of winter sleeping!"

"This is divine!" purred Amai.

"Oh yeah, he's here." Muttered Snek. "So how is he doing?"

Garou shrugged. "I don't really know how to tell anymore…"

"I'm over here and I can still hear you" protested Amai. "What is your problem with me anyways? I am doing exactly what you want me to do. Living the way Snek would have…"

"Yeah, but I think dad was expecting you to suffer a little more." Hunter explained.

"Not to mention, I was expecting you to suffer!" announced Snek. "But good job at keeping up with the kid. I'm impressed."

"He's not a comfy as you are Snake." Said Draven.

"Not at all, but he is getting there," explained Goliath.

"You two have grown a lot since I last saw you. I can tell you got stronger," Snek said and smiled. "Damn, I do miss this… but I am starting to find things I miss as a human too."

"Like freedom? Being able to do your own thing without people constantly staring at you?" asked Amai.

Snek smirked. "That's not what is bothering you now is it? You can go out in public but refuse to show your face. You're still embarrassed to be that. I get it. I was too! But what the hell can you do about it?"

"I think I told you before, if I wanted your advice I would ask for it." Amai said as he began to close his eyes and savor the warmth of the water. His body slithered through the warm water, he appeared content to it all.

"I see his humility hasn't changed,"

Suiryu snickered. "He's been a sour snake ever since he got here. I haven't really seen him adjust as well as you have Snek. I know you took some time to, but him… I don't know…"

"I don't care what any of you have to say about me, I am merely waiting for the time to run out and I go back to being me again," said Amai. "Quite frankly, I could wait this out a while longer if I had to…"

"Oh please, I think you would crack if you were stuck like that for a year!" protested Snek. "Take away your movies, acting, music and you would go nuts"

Amai didn't reply, he was lost in the enjoyment of the hot spring.

"Well, I'm done soaking. You getting out Amai?" asked Garou.

"No, I don't think I will be for a while."

"Whatever, don't say in too late, you'll set off your metabolism again." Garou jumped out of the water. Suiryu, the twins and Hunter followed, Snek stayed behind to enjoy it a while longer.

There was silence between the two heroes. Snek savored the soak, yet he kept turning to Amai who were peering over at him. "What?" Snek demanded.

Amai merely smirked but went back to resting his eyes. Snek followed suit until he heard. "I'm sorry."

Instantly his eyes shot open. Snek turned to Amai who was now looking right at him, there was sincerity in his eyes for once. "Wait… what?" Snek demanded.

"I'm… sorry." He said slowly. "I… I had no idea… this… this is difficult, this life… this way… and yet…"

It was a little startling to Snek, he has never seen Amai stumble over his words before, and yet, he could tell, he meant the apology. "This was the main reason why you and I switched places. Don't you get it?" he asked. "I was still a hero, no matter what I looked like or what I became. I wasn't going to let a jackass like you tell me otherwise."

Amai merely nodded his head, but then shook it in disbelief. "How did you not go insane in a house like this?"

Snek laughed. "Try staying in a hospital for six months doing nothing but the same shit over and over again until it becomes a boring routine! Despite how it looks here… I felt comfortable. Anywhere else would have been a pity party. Boo hoo, why me? Poor Snek, look what happened to him! I don't need that shit, I don't want that shit directed at me. I already felt like crap to begin with, I didn't need people reminding me what happen. Here… you're seen just as another person, who you really are. Have they treated you any different because you looked like that?" he asked.

"No…"

"Exactly!" Snek announced.

"Huh, I never thought of it that way. They still despise me."

"So do I," said Snek, but there was an intriguing look on his face. "Unless you can change my mind otherwise. Amai, you may not see it, but there's an opportunity here for you. Whether you take it or not, whether you want it or don't. No one in this house will look beyond who you are, unless you show them. Quite frankly, you haven't given them a reason to give you a chance to prove yourself that you're actually learning something, becoming a better person for it. I'll be honest. I don't think you can change. When this is all said and done, you get to go back to your old way of life, I go back to becoming a serpent monster. You could probably care less about that. You probably won't even hesitate to put the likes of me down again just because I am such a creature." Snek paused. "Ha, a part of me is actually hoping you would see something else, the so call beauty you are looking for in a hero and you discover that in this form."

Snek got himself out of the hot spring. "Well I'm sick of looking at you, and I'm getting pruned, see you back in the house." He left shortly after.

Amai soaked a while longer. As good as the hot water felt, Garou was right. The monster that's been lingering in his stomach finally digested… hunger was starting to get the better of him once again…


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

October.

One month down, three more to go. Amai was relieved he made it through a month. Even the family was shocked as to how far along he's come. Despite the fact he still won't show his face in public, Amai has done rather well for himself. He was just putting on his hoodie once more and listened to the news on the small TV he had placed into his room. Reports were coming in now. People were looking for him. "It's been a month since anyone has seen or heard from Amai Mask. No one knows his current location or his current project schedule. His manager has offered little in the way of information on his client's whereabouts. We will have more as this story develops."

He rolled his eyes to it all. Everyone has to know where he is at all times apparently. For a while, it was nice that he got to be alone. He didn't have cameras in his face all the time or pens shoved in his direction to sign various items. He got to relax and yet at the same time still do his job as a hero. Granted, he hasn't been quite a vicious at dealing justice. But the occasional monster he consumes alive fills that need rather nicely. Today, Hunter wanted him to patrol his own city. City R.

He was reluctant to do so, however, Sweet Mask wants to see how it's doing, if everyone is okay. Perhaps even swing by his flat and pick up a few more things. Hunter flew them to the city, the moment they hit the streets, Amai felt something strange in the ground. "What is that?" he asked.

"What's what Blue?"

"That feeling in the ground… it… it feels odd." He has become sensitive to the movements in the earth. He remembers how Snek was able to tell he was in Garou's body just by the way he walked! Amai was starting to understand this ability, but couldn't quite make sense of it.

Hunter then noticed the people, some turned to stare at them, but then the whispers began. The look of anger followed as the people began to gather oddly. Hunter gave out a sigh before turning to Amai. "Blue, you may want to leave for a moment."

Amai looked about, this was what Hunter dealt with every time he asked him to backtrack on patrol? The looks of hatred filled the people's eyes, and they were all directed at Hunter. "Do it now," Hunter warned.

Amai turned to leave, he began to slink pass the crowd, yet he paused. Something told him to stay. He kept looking back as Hunter stood there in silence as more began to gather around him. These people, these are HIS people. Amai protects this city, and yet the citizens are going to come after Hunter for doing his job?

"We told you to leave you hideous freak!"

"You are no Amai Mask!"

"If you were half the hero he was, you would barely be out of B Class!"

"BOOO, Beat it monster!"

"You are not welcomed here!"

"You did something with Amai Mask, he's gone missing ever since you became Rank 1!"

The jeers were getting louder and louder, and yet. Hunter took the verbal abuse! He stood there and just dealt with it in silent dignity. He could easily tell the people that it was Amai who destroyed part of City I after obtaining Garou's power. He could easily approached, reach over and wrench off his hood, revealing to the world that their idol is a serpent monster. Yet, Hunter didn't do any of it. Out of all the opportunities he had, why did he resist embarrassing him?

Amai looked about and knew it wasn't right, not anymore.

One woman grew brash, she approached Hunter fearlessly and appeared to be ready to attempt and slap the taste out of his mouth with a firm hand across his face. That's when he stepped in. Amai stood before Hunter, his arm extended and brought the woman to a complete stop! "Blue… what are you doing?" Hunter whispered.

"Enough." He said gently. "How can such words bring about a beautiful world when they are filled with ugly and hateful tones?"

The people froze, he reached for his hood, only to be stopped by Hunter. "You sure about this?" he asked.

Amai paused, but the hood came off. The sunglasses followed and he looked to the people.

They all froze at the sight of him. "I may not have the same elegance or grace as I did before, but I can assure you… I am… Amai Mask."

"Sweet Mask… how…" then the woman turned and glared at Hunter. "YOU DID THIS TO HIM!"

"No" Amai said gently. "I did this to me."

The camera phones suddenly came out, people began snapping pictures left right and center. He cringed at the notion, but knew he cannot let the people see him with anger or resentment, instead, he turned on the charm and smiled to them all. "I am learning more about the M Class Dragons. For so long, I have been against them and their rank. Yet one challenged me, to understand them is to become one of them. So… I agreed to this temporary challenge."

"Who challenged you?" the people asked.

"Who else? Snek. He asked me if there were a way to switch positions, would I take it? I considered the notion and agreed. A method was developed and we have changed places. Which is why I am like this, it isn't the best accommodations, but, I will make do." He looked about at the people's reactions. How will they take him? Will they still adore him?

Much to his luck, the women were swooning even more!

"Oh Sweet Mask, you are too good for this world!"

"You do look cute, look how long you are, there's more of you to love!"

"I want a selfie with you!"

"Your scales shine as if they were polished!"

"Now, now. This isn't part of the challenge I was asked to be part of. I request you respect my privacy at this time, allow me to finish this with an opened mind and open heart. Until then, know that the top of Class A, Rank 1 and Rank 2. Will always be here to protect you!"

The crowd cheered him, they applauded and chanted his name. With that, he nudged towards Hunter to leave. The two made their way through the masses as the people went along their way.

Hunter couldn't believe it. "Why?" he asked. "Of all times, why did you…"

"I felt the time was right, and as what you said before, they would have found out eventually. At least with this, I was able to do it on my terms." Amai paused. He turned and stared at Hunter with great curiosity. "Why?" he asked of Hunter.

"Why what?"

"I know your family has been out to teach me a lesson. I know part of it was to have me humiliated. There were so many opportunities where you could have done so, you could have exposed me to the world. You could have done it many times over in the crowded cities, you could have wrenched off my hood, you could have said my name over and over again and yet you opted to give me a nickname as it were to protect my image… why would you care?"

Hunter shrugged. "Two wrongs don't make a right," he said. "Besides, knowing you, if I pissed you off enough, you would plot revenge. I am not looking to cause or start a war with you anyway. Too much has happened to my family, not to mention, you can be relentless when allowed to be. We have been through enough, and didn't need your vengeance added to it." He paused. "That, and I wanted you to see despite the fact I am a son of Garou… I can still be a decent person."

Amai froze to the news. It was true. Everything he said, if Hunter or his family had humiliated him, he would have retaliated somehow in some way. Hunter didn't want that to occur, but also showed him that he was a decent man. They continued on patrol, they passed before a TV store where their top story was Amai Mask. Hunter checked his phone. "That took only 10 minutes."

"One of the faster new stories I have been able to put out to say the least."

"Is this going to affect your career?"

He shrugged. "At the moment, I don't know. But right now I am more hungry than anything and rather get something to eat than think about it."

"Wow… who are you and what have you done with Amai Mask?" Hunter joked.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Holy… shit…"

Melee paused as Garou stared blankly at the TV. "The bastard actually did it!"

She rushed over, as the top new story was Amai Mask revealing to the world that he was indeed the blue serpent that patrolled the streets with the Leviathan Prince. "People have been commenting on the situation all day today, wondering how it was possible for one, Amai Mask to become such a thing. Many claim to be special effect artist displaying their finest work yet. But coming from Amai Mask himself, he claims to have switched places with on M Class Dragon Snek! We are hoping to have more details as the story develops."

"I can't believe he did it!" said Melee. "What on earth possessed him to reveal himself to the masses like this?"

"Beat the hell out of me, but I guess he can stop wearing that damn hoodie!"

Melee wasn't sure how to feel about this. Amai Mask is all about the image, his persona and appearance are upheld to the highest standards he can hold them to. What changed so suddenly? "This doesn't seem right."

Garou snorted. "No shit, question is, what's his angle?"

Not even Melee knew, but it wasn't long before Hunter returned with Amai, and he appeared to have just eaten. "Oh, they are still showing that story… pity, there are more important things going on in the world." With that he slithered off to his room and closed the door.

Melee and Garou slowly turned to Hunter. "What the hell have you two been doing?" Garou demanded.

Hunter gave a nervous smile. "What are you talking about? We go on patrol, that's it!" he said.

"What happened today that would make him do that?" Melee questioned. "And it has to have been something important, he wouldn't have done it otherwise."

Hunter sighed. "He was defending me."

Garou went for a drink of pop before he sprayed it across the living room. "Wait, he did what?!"

"He… defended me. I was being confronted by the people of City R. I told him to go so he wouldn't get caught up in it, instead he stayed and defused the situation. I even tried stopping him from revealing himself. It was his choice. But after that, the people didn't come after us. We finished patrolling, got him something to eat and came home."

Melee was still confused. "Wait, Amai Mask… Sweet Mask… the guy who has been against us from the start… who has hated Garou… never got my name right… tried to get the others to quit and retire from being heroes… helped you?"

"Mom… he has changed, even if its only for a short time, I say take it!" said Hunter. "Perhaps he is starting to see the world doesn't revolve around him or his ideals. We had a good talk a while ago…"

"About what?" Garou questioned with a snicker. "I don't know about you, but he's only capable of talking about how we are an insult to heroes everywhere, we don't deserve to be among the people let alone help protect them!"

"I think he's been wanting to talk to mom for a while about some things. But… hasn't been or he's unable to."

"I'm not going back to work for him!" Melee snapped.

"Just… go and talk to him when he's up to it mom, if he wants to that is."

"Now you put the bug in her ear, I even want to know what he wants to say now!" said Garou.

"Dad… Mom…" Hunter sighed but knew he said too much and there was no going back now.

"It's okay…"

Hunter paused as Amai slithered out, he came to the living room. Melee noticed this odd look in his eyes. One she has never seen before. "Okay, this is getting freaky even for me. You've always been a cold, heartless bastard. None of us mattered to you, you wanted to kill Garou and for that matter, my family because of what we are. What the hell has gotten into you?" she demanded.

Amai tripped over his tongue, but settled himself. "I finally see the beauty in this." He explained. "I also have come to understand myself a little better since I am not distracted with my usual projects, I can finally confront everything that has weighed on me for so long…" his eyes gazed upward to the ceiling for a moment, with a deep cleansing breath he looked to Melee, and stared her dead in the eyes. "I love you Melee." He confessed.

Garou dropped his drink. "What?" he asked in a stunned tone.

"I've loved you since you became my assistant. I came to love how you did everything for me, and that was misplaced. It has taken me years to see that everything you did, wasn't out of love for me, it was your job… and I never appreciated it." He came a little closer to her. "You were right, this whole time. I only thought about myself, I only cared about myself, and I didn't treat you the way I should have. I still don't know how to properly treat you, even after I possessed him" he said and turned to Garou.

Amai then focused on him. "You make me sick." He said flat out. "And the reason why is because unlike me, I couldn't get the woman I loved to love me back"

"Okay, even I'm scared now. What?" Garou asked. "So part of his hatred for me… is because I got Melee?"

"Yes," he muttered. "Out of all the women of the cities, the only one who never fell for my charm, happened to be the one I could never obtain for myself." He shook his head. "I tried to break you two up, when you were paired with him. I tried to sever it, I wanted her nowhere near you because I saw it in both your eyes. The look I get from my fan, the admiration, the love… the connection. I wanted that with her. But… you had to be the one to make it." He said to Garou. "I resented you for that, after everything you did, after all the hell we went through to stop you. How was it fair that you got Melee Brawler, and I didn't? I WAS THE HERO!" he roared out the last part, his eyes turned red as the familiar veins pushed up his scales on his neck, face and body.

There was an odd silence in the room, Amai calmed himself down and brushed back his hair. The veins slowly receded as well. "It doesn't matter anymore, anyways now, does it?" he asked. "I lost, Garou won yet again in this victory, I still despise him for it."

"Why tell us this? Why say anything?" asked Melee.

Amai turned to Hunter. "Because he figured it out. And since he knew, it made me think about it all. I had nothing else to do, I had nothing to distract myself with. I was trapped with my own thoughts about what I kept bottled up all these years, this anger I had towards the whole M Class, Garou and the family. It's because I wanted it… I wanted you… those children could have been my children…" He shook his head to it all. "I wanted what I couldn't have, and that rarely happens to me. I always get what I want."

"Whoa… heavy" said Garou. "Well, this isn't going to make the next three months awkward." He announced sarcastically.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The cards were all out on the table, the room was deadly silent as the confession from Amai Mask didn't exactly put everything to rest. A frantic knock came to the door, breaking the awkward silence. Yet before Hunter could answer it, the person on the other side invited themselves in. Snek was there, breathless as he ran all the way up the stairs. "Did… you… see… the… news?" he asked between his gasps for air. "The… bastard…actually… did it!" He folded over, trying to regain his breath. When Snek was able to breath regularly he turned and saw Amai in the living room. "Oh… he's here… first off… wow. Second of all, what the hell?"

Amai glared at Snek and slithered off without answering him. Snek was rather confused as he took notice of the room. "Okay, I may not have that ability to sense what's going on through the floor but I can tell right now that shit just went down!" he announced. "Someone want to fill me in?"

"I don't know where to really begin Snek." Said Melee. "I really don't."

"Garou?"

He shook his head to the whole thing, Snek then turned to Hunter who also couldn't really bring himself to speak. With a sigh, Snek dropped the subject at hand. "Well, since I'm here, mind if I use the hot spring?"

"Please do, we may need some time to process this," said Melee.

Snek excused himself and went down the hall to a door that appeared like a closest. It was doublewide, but didn't hold anything inside. Instead it revealed the passageway down to the hot springs. As he walked, he felt someone following him. "You coming too?" he asked.

Amai lingered behind him. He didn't speak instead he merely followed him to the springs.

The two were silent as Snek stripped down and got into the one, Amai took the other. He appeared rather disgusted with himself, Snek was curious. "So… what happened?"

"This is all your fault."

"Okay, so we're going to start a conversation like that. Fine, let it rip. How is this my fault?" Snek questioned.

Amai struck the surface of the hot spring, splashing water out in a fit of rage. "Why did I have to switch places with you!" he demanded. "Out of all the other M Class, it had to be YOU!"

"You came at me the most dumbass. You tried to EAT ME!" Snek snapped back. "Besides, the others got it easy. I don't!" he settled back in the water before glaring at Amai. "What did you do?"

"It's not what I did, it's what you forced me to do."

Snek laughed. "Oh, I see, the guy who isn't here all the time gets blamed for your problems."

"If I weren't like this I would be able to distract myself. I would be focusing on my movies, music and shows. Not reflect on my own life, not consider my past actions or even think about what I did was wrong!"

Snek paused. "Ah, you reached that point huh? Wondering where the hell you went wrong, wondering what you could have done differently. Think about the past and how it could have changed your future?" he asked.

Amai stared at him oddly. Snek knew how he felt. "When you eat something bigger than yourself and can't move, you get time to think… A LOT of time to think."

"This wasn't something I wanted to consider let alone ponder about."

"You going to tell me or what?"

Amai sighed. "I loved Melee before she fell in love with Garou."

Snek froze to the news, he turned and stared at him. "You just confessed to her now about that, didn't you?"

"She was going to find out eventually, her son, Hunter knew the truth. I wanted to tell her but never found the courage until today. After allowing the world to see me like this, I felt it was best to let the confession out. I admit, I feel a great burden lifted off of me. At the same time, I wish I said nothing at all."

"Damn," muttered Snek. "You've been conflicting with that for years, haven't you?"

"It doesn't matter how long I have been, but what does matter is that it is out there now. I startled Melee, I scared Garou if you could believe that! Huh, I guess there is an upside to it. I scared Garou!"

"That's not easy to do!"

Silence befell between the two heroes once more. Only to be broken by the sound of Amai stomach. Snek peered over and saw it was agitated; he was stunned to say the least. "You're eating them alive?!"

Amai smirked. "I enjoy it." He said and caressed himself. "I found the beauty of this form, such power it take to keep a monster subdued and down is one thing. Prolonging its death is another."

"You are one sick bastard." Muttered Snek, but he kept peering over. "I will admit this, I can't believe how well you have handled yourself as that. I'll give credit where credit is due."

"You are an amazing hero like this." Said Amai.

"Okay, seriously, who the hell are you?"

The two men snickered, yet Snek sighed aloud. "Well, in three months, we go back to our … well… I guess as normal as our lives will get."

Sweet Mask nodded. "I look forward to it, but…" he trailed off.

"But? Did I hear right? Amai Mask said… but?"

He smirked. "I am enjoying this down time." He confessed. "I have no schedule, I don't have to rush from one thing to another. I feel almost free in a sense. However, I am still bounded by this serpent body. The things I eat to survive are not the least bit pleasant, but I am starting to savor and enjoy the feeling I gain when I feed. I see now that you do two services for the city, take out and clean up."

"I get two pay cheques that way." Snek laughed, as he drifted deeper into the spring he turned and asked. "Are things going to change around here? Are we still considered a threat in your standards? I know what happens now can change the moment you become you again. I want your word though. Whatever happens after this, the M Class is no longer your target!"

"I think I can agree to that. Yes," he said.

Snek however knew Amai Mask, he wasn't going to hold his breath over the notion either.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The next day…

"Are you listening?"

Amai Mask snapped out of his daze, he forgot he was at a meeting at the heroes association. They were doing a follow up with him after his latest 'stunt' as it were. Questioning his motives and logic as to why he revealed himself to the world as the blue serpent. He didn't quite have an answer for them, despite their insistence of one. "Amai Mask, we have come to know that you wanted to keep yourself hidden from the world, until this little… punishment was over. Question is, why did you reveal yourself?" one member asked.

He lay in a mess of a coil, not neat and proper as Snek would, Amai lay on the bulge of his stomach and thought over the question. "Perhaps… I wanted the people to see me like this, wondering if I am this way, would they still consider me a hero? Is that not what this whole thing is about? I accused Snek that he was no longer hero material after his transformation, I may have just wanted to see if my words were indeed correct on the matter. I am grateful though, I was proven wrong."

"Have you changed Amai?" the woman questioned.

"Physically, yes, I am a serpent monstrosity. Mentally… I think so… emotionally… yes. But I won't know for certain, I have only been like this just over a month to be honest. I am getting a feel for this body though. There is beauty to it," he said as he stroked his scales.

The panel began to whisper. "Amai Mask, what is your position now on the M Class dragons?"

He paused, slowly he arched himself up and stretched. "My opinion of them has changed, but as to how far… I am still debating. Despite the fact that I have had issues with the family, time with my own thoughts have made me realize many things about myself that I have not taken notice before. Why I am constantly busy and keep my schedule full for one… I've been distracting myself from other issues I have yet to address in my mind and my heart."

"Has this been a good experience for you so far?"

"I am still in the moment of it. Once more, I will have better insight with this is over."

"Very well, you are dismissed."

Amai nodded as he slithered out of the room. He had to wait for the others to finish their meeting before he was able to leave, so he wondered around a bit. He was slinking down the hallways, staring at various posters on the wall until he heard a commotion. "You newbies want to play a game of lift?"

Curiosity got he better of him as he slipped into the gym. It was the Tank Top Army, staring down Draven and Goliath. Amai didn't realize it until now, but the twins stood nearly as tall as Tank Top Master himself. They were not as toned as he was in muscle, but they could certainly match him in power to say the least. The twins appeared they were just testing the weights when the Army approached.

"What's lift?" asked Draven.

"Simple kid, you lift a weight, we lift a weight, we keep going until someone can't lift it anymore. Those who are able to lift the greatest amount wins! So how about it? We win, you join the Tank Top Army!" said Tank Top Black Hole.

"What if we win?" asked Goliath.

They laughed at them. "You! Beat us! You are newbies! You didn't even know what those were until we told you!" snickered Tank Top Hatter.

Amai slithered in after deciding to take an interest in the event. "This is beneath you." He said aloud.

The Tank Tops turned, yet jumped at the sight of Amai slithering behind them. Some even turned white when they saw that he ate recently. "Whoa… so it is true! You're the blue serpent everyone is talking about," whispered Tank Top girl. Amai bowed to her respectfully but then as he stood up again, she appeared confused. "Hey, what do you mean this is beneath us?" she demanded.

He laughed. "Not you… them." He said and turned towards the Twins. "Do you have any idea who they are?"

They shook their heads. So, Amai smirked. "I figured as much. Tell you what. I am so confident they will defeat you with ease, so much so that if you happen to win, I will join the tank top army myself"

This got their interest, the others were already making plans for the thousands perhaps millions of new tank top legions that will follow suit when Amai Mask is forced to join their ranks. "You got yourself a bet."

"Just a moment… what's in it for them?" he questioned. "Twins, what do you want from them?"

Draven and Goliath paused and looked to each other. "They have nothing that we want!" said Draven.

"Can't think of anything." Said Goliath.

"May I make a suggestion then? If you want to have some fun with them, it will be funny."

The twins were intrigued as he went over and whispered into their ears. Suddenly they burst into fits of laughter, Goliath laughing the loudest. "Really?" he asked. Amai grinned and nodded. So the twins nodded and turned to the Tank Top Army. "We win, you have to change your posters at the gym to Amai Mask and play his music in your gym for four months!" announced Goliath.

"That's weak, you're on!" called tank Top Al Dente.

Amai set himself up in a messy coil once more, resting on the lumpier part of himself and began to watch. They started off easy, 300 pounds. Everyone in the tank top army lifted that no problem.

The twins used two fingers.

Much to the shock of the others, as the weights continued to increase. The twins constantly showed off their strength using a few fingers at a time. By the time they reached 675 pounds, the tank tops were starting to really slow down. They began to have trouble lifting the weights. The twins, were still using one hand if that to lift. Soon the tank tops began to drop like flies, none could keep up as the twins weren't even trying.

"When is this suppose to get challenging?" asked Draven.

"You snot nose punks!" growled Tank Top Black Hole. "You disrespect the tank top!"

"No, we are merely stating this is boring!" announced Goliath. He rolled his eyes and saw a set of weights at the back of the gym. "What about these?"

"Oh don't even think about lifting that, that's Tank Top Master's squat set! We all strive to lift that one day, he can. We can't!" said Hatter.

Amai was laughing. "Twins, I do believe you know what to do, end this and make it painful for them… not physically of course"

Goliath smiled as he approached the weights, with two arms he lifted them up without issue, it was light enough that he could one arm it! The tank top army all became slack jawed. "No… way!" protested Al Dente.

"What's going on here…" Tank Top Master entered the gym. He froze at the sight of Amai Mask, but then saw Goliath lifting his weights. Tank Top Master, however froze.

"That stance, that form and figure… that is not the figure of a tank top… that's a Brawler!"

"At least someone noticed." Muttered Amai. "Your little army made a wager with them. Trying to force them into your little legion. They lost of course, so for the next four months at your gym, you will he hanging posters of me and playing my pop songs for your workout music."

TTM turned and glared at his legions. "You… made a bet against a Brawler!" he demanded.

"We… we didn't know!" protested Black.

"We really didn't!"

"I'll be sending you posters and I will be there personally to ensure the get hung properly." With that Amai slithered out of the room, yet he began to hear a commotion in the communication department…


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Hello, Heroes Association…. No, we are not commenting at this time… No, Amai Mask is not available for interviews either… No, we are not accepting any requests for interviews either."

"It hasn't stopped," said Sitch. He patrolled through the call center, despite the fact that it is mainly for emergencies; the media has flooded the center with calls for interviews with Amai Mask! "We have to put an end to this at once."

"Then give them what they want."

The room fell silent as Amai Mask slithered in. "Amai…"

"I know I am bounded by your rule of no interviews, but perhaps just this once we break that and ensure the people are satisfied with the answers I provide for them."

Sitch sighed to it all. "I don't think we have much of a choice now do we?"

Amai shook his head. "I recommend a show I go on all the time, Afternoon Chat with Marie and Ben. They are the top show in the cities and know how to do a proper interview."

Sitch got on the phone and made the call to the station, he was getting the run around from producers who wouldn't give him the time of day. However, Amai gestured for the phone and got on the line. "Hello? Mike? It's Amai Mask…. Yes… yes it is… in fact that is the very reason for this call…. Tomorrow?... Oh? You can fit me in today? Perfect. I'll be there in an hour. Chow." He hung up.

"I'll get this sorted out and your call center will be get back to normal." He tossed the phone back, however Sitch was confused.

"Wait, Amai, what are you going to tell them? How will you explain this?" he asked.

Sweet Mask chuckled "You forget, this is my thing, I am the master of the sound byte." His confident smile grew. "I could sell ice to a penguin, this… is nothing." He insisted.

Sitch could only watch as Sweet Mask slithered out of the association. He was confused though, before he was attempting to keep himself hidden from the world, preventing them from seeing him as a serpent monster. And yet, he moves confidently, fearlessly in a sense. Unafraid to what the world will think of him.

He went to his office and turned on the TV. The talk show was going to get underway in an hour. Sitch will be certain to watch the whole thing.

#

Amai arrived in record time. The studio was in City R, next to the recording studio he uses often. Amai slithered in as people stopped and paused. He kept cool and collected as the women still swooned over him, very few were startled by his appearance. Yet he enjoyed the fact that they still whispered about him as they always did. He made his way down the hall second door on the right to the Afternoon Chat show. He was approached by the stagehand who was quick to do his make up. He had to be powdered down so his scales wouldn't reflect too much of the lights. When done he was invited on to the stage and kept off to the side as he waited for his cue.

"Welcome to Afternoon Chat, if you can believe it, we just secured an exclusive interview with the man himself… well… sort of man, Amai Mask!" the crowd went into cheers and confused whispers. "Let's not keep him waiting any longer, ladies and gentlemen. Amai Sweet Mask!"

He slithered out, even the way he came out on to the stage he made certain it was graceful and elegant. The hosts were surprised to say the least, and yet they welcomed him whole-heartedly. Amai came between them and smiled. "Thank you for having me especially on such short notice."

The host Ben couldn't help but look him over. "My Goodness, this is a new look for you!"

Amai smiled. "Temporary, very temporary." He explained.

Marie was next to ask. "How did this happen?"

Amai's smile grew. "I was given a challenge by the M Class Dragons, for you see, in the association, I have been very critical of them. I didn't agree with the notion that monsters were able to be heroes, not the least bit. We have standards to uphold, to display and ensure to the people we protect. I thought these so called heroes did not deserve to be among the association, its ranks or its company." He explained. "I didn't want anything to do with them, until I was challenged by one Biting Snake Fist Snek. Claiming that I had no idea what they go through, what they endure and how they are heroes with the way they are." He explained.

"We have read about your campaign to dismantle the M Class Dragons for that very reason. There were many people that agreed with you. I do remember a former TV host Gus Limbo being one of them."

Amai laughed. "Indeed, he was one of many who agreed with the notion. Yet I was interested in Snek's challenge, after all I didn't think what they did matter. I didn't believe an M Class Dragon made a difference let alone could uphold the standards I do," he said.

"So?" questioned Ben. "Has anything changed for you?"

Amai thought it over, he folded his hands before him. "A lot has changed. I may not agree with the idea of monsters being heroes. But those who are turned into one against their will, yet, still hold the idea of peace and justice in their hearts are still heroes. It's a shame that it took this challenge for me to see and take notice of that." he paused and gave a small laugh to the notion. "Look at me, I am this and yet I am still fulfilling my hero obligations. I hold myself to the same standards as I did before, I still fight for peace and justice in this world and to rid it of evil. Granted, a little differently now, but I understand where Snek was coming from. And I come to respect it."

"Wow, I didn't think that would happen, I mean, Amai Mask, you have had it out with the M Class. You are still vocal about Garou, the human monster being classified as an M Class Dragon…"

"I will be with holding that vocalization from here on. I look back now, ever since he became what he is now, he has not done harm to the people. He has protected them greatly with his power, and I understand now, what he is, not everyone could or understand the great burden he is under."

The hosts fell silent. "I don't think we have ever heard you speak of him like that. What about this Leviathan Prince, the new A Class Rank 1, the one who has surpassed you, what are your thoughts?"

"The Leviathan Prince, is just that. A Prince of dignity and respect, I hold him in high regards. In my time as this, he and I have been learning off of each other. I do believe I am gaining more knowledge from him than he is from me."

"Will he be going into the S Class?" asked Marie.

"I have no doubt he will. He will make an excellent edition to the S Class when he decides to do so."

Ben was intrigued. "You got to tell us how this happened. I mean one can't just snap their fingers and they become this!"

"The process is difficult to explain, but in me becoming this, Snek became human. I don't quite know how it was done, but the effects are temporary. Granted, I am going to be like this for another three months. In that time I hope to have a better understanding and appreciation of the M Class and all they do."

The crowds cheered him, they applauded his words and Amai himself just for being there. "So, when is your next movie coming out?" asked Marie.

He laughed. "No movies, not for a while anyways. Part of the agreement I have with the M Class, I must dive into this without any distractions from my former state. No movies, shows, music. How can I appreciate what this class of heroes does if I am constantly distracted by my former obligations? As much as it pains my fans, and me I must respect the wishes and conditions of this challenge. I wasn't even suppose to do interviews, but after the world learned of this, there was little choice but to set the record straight."

Marie appeared curious. "Why did you hide yourself though? Why did you go about the cities hiding your face, you didn't even answer to your name," she asked.

"Truthfully? I was embarrassed," he confessed. "I know my fans hold me in high regards, they have great expectations of me and how I should look to them. I didn't want to disappoint or scare them because of this."

The crowd awed.

"Oh Amai, I don't think it matters what you look like, you're face, that smile, the twinkle in your eyes is all they need to see to know you are still Sweet Mask!" cooed Marie.

The ladies in the audience cheered in agreement. "Thank you, all of you."

"Thank you for coming on our show! Amai Sweet Mask everyone!"

He was cheered loudly, when the camera cut the hosts were still in amazement of him. "Wow… you do look amazing though, those scales just glisten and shine!" said Marie, but then noticed the budge in his center. "Oh… do I really want to know what that is?" she asked.

"Well, you know that level tiger threat from yesterday?" Amai questioned. "That was it."

With that he thanked the hosts and slithered off.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The situation was brought to the wayside. The Heroes Association was no longer bombarded with calls, the interview Amai Mask gave was enough to pacify the masses. He was rather proud of himself that it all went smoothly for the most part. Amai began to do patrols on his own without Hunter. In fact, by the next day he was out and about in City R once more. He even got his own little backpack to keep his phone and wallet.

The people were respectful and kept their distance, they would offer a friendly wave or a blushing giggle in his direction. Yet there were also some who didn't take kindly to his appearance.

Amai paused for a moment to savor a warm drink on a rather cold day. The heating device Alley made for him did the job, but at times, nothing beats a hot beverage. He was just savoring his hot mocha latte when he saw these people staring at him. Angry to say the least, curiosity got the better of him as he approached the men. "You don't appear to be pleased to see me, any explanation as to why?" he asked.

One man spat towards him. "You were the hero we all looked up to. Now look at you, a freak! You're a monster!" one protested.

Amai wasn't the least bit startled as he sipped his drink. "I do believe I explained that this is but a temporary form, I am not like this for the rest of my days, merely slithering in another's position to gain a better understanding of them. You shouldn't take offense to that now,"

The men sneered. "You betrayed the people!"

"You are nothing but a worm now! A slimy, disgusting wor…." Amai grabbed him by the throat, still he kept calm and sipped his beverage.

"Now now, no need for ugly words." He said and then dropped the man with great ease. "Now, as I explained before, this isn't forever for the likes of me. I will return to my former glory. In the mean time, I still expect the same respect that I had before I became this. After all, I am still Amai Mask. I am more than capable of doing everything I could before!" he warned.

The men were startled. Amai paused as he felt the familiar veins trying to push up through his scales, they protruded a little but not as much to be noticed. He calmed himself down before turning back to the men. "Now, are there any more concerns you wish to express before I move along?"

They shook their heads fearfully. "Good, have a wonderful day gentlemen." With that, he left.

"This must be what Snek endured. Then again, I am certain he still endures this kind of behavior." Amai said to himself.

The city was quiet today, perhaps that was a good thing. Since it has gotten colder, his digestion has slowed down greatly. Granted, he could still eat, but he didn't want to look too ridiculous as he slithered about. He did manage to help a few people. One was a girl who fell down a steep hill, he was able to coil around a rock and reach down to retrieve her with ease. Another was stopping an armed robbery. The last incident was a monster on the way back to Garou's home. A rather large looking one at that, and it fearlessly confronted him!

Amai stared at it oddly, thinking over his options. "Hmmm, it's big… but is it too big?" he asked himself. With his drink finished, he decided there was no point in letting it go to waste. With a stiff one inch punch to the chest, he shattered its rib cage. The monster gasped for air and fell to its knees. As it leaned down, Amai struck and began to swallow it whole!

#

"You sure he should be going on patrols on his own?" asked Melee.

Hunter nodded confidently. "I think he is more at ease with it…" he paused as his phone went off. Hunter looked to it and signed. "I do need to go pick him up though."

"Let me guess, he just ate again huh?"

"Needless to say, I got to admit he has a good appetite!" Hunter excused himself and went to retrieve Amai. Melee however still hasn't been able to process what Sweet Mask said a few days ago. Garou too, it's put a small strain on the house. After all, Melee never liked him, but for Amai to confess everything out of the blue was something of a shock.

And for Garou to learn that part of the hatred he has towards him is because of Melee! "So, are we going to talk about this?" Garou asked of her.

"Might as well. I have no feelings for him, you know that," she said.

He nodded to her. "I know, I don't hate him as much as I use to. Still, he annoys the hell out of me. But I will admit that was some damn courage for him to lay it all out like that." He then thought it over. "I can't say I blame him from hating me, I did cave his face in," he said with a snicker.

"And it was because of him, we met," said Melee. "Can you believe that though? We met because I said I would buy you dinner for messing up his face!"

The two laughed, Melee went to the couch and cuddled into Garou. "Nothing has changed between you and me. But, I think things are changing between Amai and us, isn't there?"

"He hasn't complained as much, I think he is starting to see things differently now. Whether or not he will keep that idea has yet to be seen. You know about the bet Hunter and I made with him. If Snek had beaten him during the rookie crushing, he wouldn't fight Hunter's promotion to S Class. He wasn't going to keep his word on it."

She nodded. "You think that's going to happen again, after he changes back. Don't you?"

"I wouldn't be the least bit surprised."

The door opened, Hunter was floating in a very full Amai Mask. He was taken to his room and left there to rest off his latest catch. When Hunter closed the door he was rather surprised. "That guy can eat! Level Demon, a high one at that before getting home, there was no way he was going to make it up the stairs!"

Garou snickered. "Well, speaking of demons. I do believe we have to help Bang plan for something, don't we?"

Hunter's eyes widened. "Yes! The Haunted Dojo!"

"Ooo, we got to think of something good this year!" said Melee. "What did we do last year?"

"I think it was something like the haunted graveyard of sorts." Said Garou. "But we can do better, we have to do better. It's the one time of year where I can scare the piss out of snot nose brats and not be sorry for it!"

"I think we need to do a monster mash! Really bring out our monster side!" said Hunter.

"Ooo, I think that's a good idea. Make a demonic stair way to the dojo… then, turn the place into a monster creep house!" said Garou.

"Hey, we can get the twins to dress up, we can make some visual effect…" said Melee.

"I think we could come up with something good!" said Hunter. "I'm going to get the twins and see if Pac and Alley have some ideas!"


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It took a week for that monster to digest, yet the lesson was learned. If Amai was going to eat, he would be certain to have Hunter around to get him back home. Still, when he was able to move again, he went back out on his patrol. Hunter kept him in City R out of respect for the people and his legions that live there. They don't take kindly to Hunter so Amai does the job.

It was strange though. When Sweet Mask arrived that day, he still appeared rather large from his last feast. No one mind the least bit, but that wasn't what caught his attention. There was a strange sculpture in the middle of the city square. Despite the light snowfall that occurred recently, this didn't have a single flake on it. He was curious and approached. "Must be one of those art pieces they place around the city," he said to himself.

Yet the closer he went, the more he realized it wasn't a city art piece. In fact, there was a sign stating 'reserved for Amai Mask'!

He looked about in confusion, until some city workers approached him. "Sweet Mask! Glad you are here, mind doing us a favor and testing this out for us?"

"Certainly… what is it?" Amai questioned.

"Try it and see!"

Amai was cautious as he approached the strange set up. It was a massive and oval looking black stone, his hand went on it and he immediately felt warmth! "Is this a warming stations?"

"Your fans insisted on it, they got the permit and passes it through city hall. Your fan club membership fee paid for this." One of the workers explained.

He was getting a chill. So Amai slithered up and did a lazy coil around the stone. He felt it instantly, his body warmed up, everything felt perfect! "You have no idea how much I needed this!" he purred.

"Glad you like it. Enjoy!" With that, the city workers went off as Amai savored the heat. He didn't realize it at the time, but some of his fans were near by, taking photos of him as he rested and warmed himself up.

When satisfied, he slinked off the stone and continued on his way. "I wish that was portable" he said, but then got the idea that perhaps the cities should all have one. Not for him, but for Snek. He patrols all the time.

Just as Amai was on his way down the street, Hunter flew overhead. The people parted as he came down and landed just before him. He brought along a very long, thick sweater and a hot drink. "Thought you could use these."

"I appreciate that, thank you. Did you see the warming station they set up for me?"

"Must be nice to have that kind of fan devotion." Amai slipped the sweater on and then savored his hot drink. Just as he did, there came an odd smirk over Hunter. "Congrats by the way."

He paused. "On what? I haven't done anything significant recently."

Hunter's smile grew as he took out his phone, when he found what he was looking for her showed Amai. He just took a sip of his hot chocolate when he spat it out in shock.

Amai Mask, Class A Rank 1

"This can't be right!" he protested. Yet he looked over the page, the reports and photos of him as a serpent, fighting and eating monsters. "I… I haven't been reporting my deeds…"

"Your fans have. They brought you back to Rank 1. Your latest song helped too from the album you were going to release after you took over my dad's body. Oddly though, it's the song my dad did when he was you!"

Amai couldn't believe it. He was at the top of A Class again, Hunter was brought down to Rank 2. "This isn't right still, you have done far more than I have, and you report it, don't you?"

"I do… and sometimes I don't. I ain't mad if that's what you are worried about. In fact… I am actually thrilled."

"What?"

"Don't you see, despite what you are right now… you're still a hero to the people. They know who you are, not what you became."

He paused to the news. It was true. A brief smile came over Amai, just as the wind blew a deep, bone chilling air through him. He nearly passed out then and there! Hunter caught him but Amai came too. "I'm okay… just a little cold…"

"Let's call it a day for you, it's been quite. We got to get you warmed up."

"There's a nice heating rock over in the town square…"

Amai was passing out, he nearly did until he felt the warmth once more come over his body. He woke to it, Hunter brought him to the heating stone in the square. "This… is divine" he said. To his left, Amai noticed someone left a rose for him. He casually leaned over and pick it up off the ground.

Hunter then stared at him oddly. "How come, no matter what the hell you are doing, you still have a sense of elegance in the way you sit, lie down or even just stand there? Even as a snake!" he questioned.

"It can be a blessing and a curse sometimes."

There were more of Sweet Mask's legions gathering, cameras and phones were taken out to take pictures of him, he didn't mind really. When comfortable, he announced he was ready to go. "Perhaps it is best we call it a day, I can't seem to keep myself going in this weather." Amai announced.

"It is getting chilly, let's go, maybe dad will let you help us out for Halloween this year."

Amai became curious. "Oh? Your family does something for Halloween?" he asked with great interest.

Hunter smiled wickedly…


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

A day later, the family went to see Bang on the idea of the haunted Dojo. The kids came up with some ideas, and yet Bang wasn't sure. "This keeps getting bigger and bigger every year. I don't know how we can keep up! We have limited supplies and means on our hands." He explained.

"We will get more supplies," insisted Melee. "We can't disappoint the kids, they look forward to the haunted dojo. We raise so much money for kids in need too,"

"I can pick up more makeup," said Alley.

"We can find some special effects online and make them ourselves," said Hunter.

"What we need is something to really grab their attentions," said Garou. "Something big, something… unexpected…"

"Something terrifying."

The room came to a pause. Amai slithered in, much to the surprise of Bang. "Sweet Mask, why are you here?" he questioned.

Amai smiled. "You were going to put on a show, and didn't ask me for help? That seems foolish, don't you think?"

The family exchanged looks, but Garou announced. "He has a point"

Amai went over their notes, ideas on what they wanted to do, and he shook his head to some of them. "Who is doing makeup here?"

"Mom usually does." Explained Pac.

"No, no. That's a waste of Melee's talents. Besides, it's not her strongest suit, we can agree on that, right?" he asked of her.

She nodded. "I don't wear makeup so I don't really know how to apply it."

"No, I got someone for that, I got people who can do a good makeup. Ever heard of the movie Blisters?" he asked.

Garou was surprised. "Only the best zombie movie I have ever seen!"

"I know the make up artist. I am certain I can call in a favor or two. Now. About this shock factor you are aiming for. What are your intentions?" he asked.

"That's what we are working on. Before we would have Garou at the base of the mountain and using his dragon serpents to scare people up the stairs." Explained Bang.

"Waste of an opportunity," announced Amai. "No, no, don't use them to scare people up the stairs… BRING them up the steps!" he insisted. "Make a little fun out of it, are you charging people?"

"Yes, at the bottom of the stairs, people get charged 100 yen to enter."

"Make it two!"

He continued to go over the ideas and brought up some of his own. He was actually willing to help!

"I know people who can really decorate this place up. Do we have a theme?"

"We did a haunted graveyard last year, we need to switch it up." Said Melee.

"How about… a monster lab!" he suggested.

"Uh…." The family muttered. "We sort of had issues with a real monster lab…" said Alley offhandedly.

"Oh, right the house of evolution…"

"Well, what better inspiration to draw from!" said Garou. "We can do a monster lab… the lab of Dr. Snekinstine!"

"OOoo have Snek be the mad scientist!" said Draven.

"We can be his lab assistance or his experiment!" announced Goliath.

"I do believe I have just the thing for Charanko to be" Garou said offhandedly.

"You always make him be a zombie!" protested Melee.

"No, this year, it's going to be different, something really freaky!"

"I will make some calls if you like," said Sweet Mask. "That is… if you would like my help."

The family looked to each other, but they gave an approving nod. "We would appreciate the help." Said Hunter. "But you get to be part of this too, it's half the fun. Halloween is our Christmas!"

Amai grinned as he got on the phone…


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

He was starting to see it now.

Amai realized the M Class was no monster association to say the least, however he didn't quite see the point of them being in the heroes association either. So far he has witnessed them patrol and Garou would hunt down monsters to eat. Nothing really changed his opinion on that.

Until October 17th.

He was watching the disaster new network, it was suddenly announced there were 10 high demon to dragon level threats occurring in 10 different cities! He was about to say something until the family began to mobilize. "Suiryu, Alley, you two take City G. Lightning Max, Stinger has requested your assistance in City J. Garou and I will head to City D, Pac is joining Metal Bat at City S. Hunter is already on location in City P. Twins, divide and conquer!"

"I'll take one of them with me," said Alley.

"Draven, come with me!" said Max.

Amai stood. "Can I help?" he questioned.

"With us!" called Suiryu. "City G has the most monsters in it now. High Demons at that. Ready to go?"

Amai nodded as he joined the family outside. Alley took them to City G where the monsters were already rampaging. They were just descending from the sky when Amai turned to her. "Alley, throw me!"

"I never thought I would hear you ask me that!" she said with a grin, but gladly launched Amai down into the thick of battle. There were three massive creatures about to tear the city apart. In one motion, Amai took the head off one, snapped the neck of another and used the momentum to swing around and launch himself at the third shattering its ribcage! Three high demons were taken down and out before he even hit the ground.

But there were plenty more to fight. He followed Alley as she suddenly stopped. Goliath dropped from her hold as he came crashing down to the earth. Sweet Mask felt the world trembled from the impact and even saw a small burst of gore reach into the sky! "I never realized he was that strong…" He slithered quickly to catch up and found Goliath covered in monster gore.

"Huh, I didn't think they blew up that easily" he said offhandedly.

"Oh, they do, you just need to know where to hit them! Come on, there's plenty more to take out!"

The raced about the city streets, encountering these monsters. Amai took down six more before he was able to find Alley and Suiryu. Goliath took down just as many, but found something difficult to deal with.

The monsters were gone. Alley did one more sweep of the city before calling for the all clear to the heroes association. However, Amai noticed a look of devastation on Goliath's face. There were massive buildings that were taken down. Collapsed from the monster attack, and yet he saw something in the rubble. "Were… were there people still in there?" he asked Amai.

He looked to one of the piles and noticed a hand within the wreckage. Even Sweet Mask looked away, but his eyes came to a very sad young man. "Yes," he said. "It is why when you are a hero, you act quickly, you show no mercy to who you battle so you can prevent things like this… sometimes, one comes too late." Yet something troubled him. Amai approached the wreckage of the building before him. He felt something.

"What you got Sweet?" asked Suiryu.

He felt something resonate through his scales. "I feel vibrations… deep under this mess… heartbeats? Yes… yes for certain, I feel heartbeats under this!"

Alley was quick to descend from the sky. "What did you say?"

"Heartbeat!" Amai announced. "There's survivors in there!"

"There isn't much time, we have to help them!" said Goliath.

"I got this, I need you boys to be on the ready. I can't lift too much with this power so be quick, okay?" she announced.

Amai, Suiryu and Goliath stood at the ready. Alley began to focus and began to lift the rubble. He saw them. People huddled together, bracing one another in fear and panic. They moved in quickly. Amai snatched up as many people as he could, Goliath and Suiryu took the others and managed to get the people out of harms way just as Alley could no longer hold the wreckage. It all came crashing down. She fell to her knees in weakness and began to develop a nosebleed.

"ALLEY!" called Suiryu.

"I'm okay" she insisted. "Did you get everyone?"

"We did… but there are more." Said Amai. "I can feel them. Over there… I know there are 20 people at the very least buried alive."

"We can't wait for help… we just can't. We have to keep going! Big Sister, can you manage?" asked Goliath.

She tried to summon her strength, clearing the blood from her nose, Alley stood once more. "There's no choice, I'll push through, just be ready okay?"

It was the first time Amai has seen Garou's children struggle. He thought everything came to them easily and naturally. Yet, even just now, Alley put every ounce of strength she could into lifting a four-story building up to save the survivors. She was no Tatsumaki by any means, but the fact she was pushing herself and trying her best to help the people, showed a lot to Amai. They went to the next building. With deep breaths she began to lift the debris. However, before she did, Amai stopped her. "Wait… don't do it all at once, if you can't manage it, do it in sections. Small portions at a time." He suggested.

Alley paused. "I would, but what if I take a portion off, it collapses the bottom… I can't risk it!" she said. "Look at the way the rocks are balanced, if one slips down it could start a chain reactions. Amai… I have to do it all in one shot, or I risk killing the people we are trying to save."

He saw her point and nodded. "Very well, be careful okay. Gentlemen are we ready?"

Goliath nodded, Suiryu grinned. "When am I ever not ready?" he said.

Once more they took their positions. Alley summoned her strength as once more, she levitated the building. People screamed in fear, yet when they saw Amai and the others, their fear subsided. Amai was the first to get in there, he found eight survivors and told them to get on his back and hold tight. Goliath just cleared the top and Suiryu got the middle. Before he could get himself and the others out. Alley screamed out in pain!

"I CAN'T HOLD IT!" She called. The building was coming back down! Amai couldn't get out in time! He did the only thing he could do. He made a coil ball around the eight as the building came crashing down on top of him!

He cringed! Sweet Mask felt something impale his body, and it was painful. However, compared to what he should have felt with a building coming down on him, it was nothing!

"Mommy, I'm scared… the snake man is going to eat us isn't he?" one little girl said.

"No, no child, that's Amai Mask! He's a hero!" the mother explained.

"No one will harm you, not while I am here." Amai said in a gentle voice. "I'm sorry I scare you, little one. My appearance isn't the most eye appealing isn't it?" he said and tried to smile warmly to her. But first things first, he has to see what has happened around him. He slowly began to unravel himself yet kept the people within his coil. There were in a pocket of sorts… One made by Suiryu who was holding up the building! "Suiryu?"

"Hey… sorry about that… miner setback." He explained.

"Why… why are you here?"

The rocks began to come down a little, but he managed to push them back up again ensuring they don't crush them. "Oh well, you know. I figured if I had this monster like strength, I should be able to keep a six story building from crushing you and the nice people there waiting to be rescued."

"What if… What if it can't be lifted?" Amai asked.

Suiryu only smiled. "What? You don't think I can lift this? Please, this is nothing!" he laughed. "Besides, I've been through worst than this. Trying having two level dragon monsters try and beat the unholy hell out of you! That and one trying to break every bone in my body with a mere flick of his fingers! So… yeah… I think this isn't the worst thing I have endured."

He could hear it now, the glass and concrete breaking apart, crumbling from the weight above. It wouldn't matter of Suiryu could hold up the mass over his head. It's whether or not it will stay together to allow him to. "So… what do you think of us now huh? The M Class isn't about sitting on their asses you know…"

"I see that…"

Suddenly, the whole building began to glow green! Every piece of rock and material lifted up into the sky! "Tatsumaki?" Amai asked.

He looked up, it wasn't her… it was Goliath!

"Come on, out we go! Better still, coil up Sweet, I'll get you out!" Suiryu said. Amai coiled up once more into a ball, with care, Suiryu lifted him up and out with the people still within his body. When the all clear was given, as Goliath gently placed everything back down again. Amai uncoiled himself and the people were released.

"Nice! Since when did you learn your esper power?" Suiryu asked.

"I've been training that for a while. I didn't use it at its fullest until now." Goliath explained.

Medics soon arrived to tend to the people. They went through the other wreckage and saved 40 more lives. When it was all said and done, Amai was pleased, yet, he was in some discomfort. The piercing he felt earlier was from a piece of metal that impaled his body. "I should have healed from that ages ago," he muttered.

Suiryu noticed his wound. "Damn, it got you good. But remember, it's colder out. Your body may not be at 100% with a chill in the air."

"That wound was nothing, I have taken a projectile shot from a monster called evil supernatural water. One in the chest, and the other cut my arm clean off! I healed from those instantly, yet not a mere flesh wound like this?" he protested.

Amai the paused when he felt someone pressing down on the lesion, he turned and saw the little girl who was scared of him early; she was dressing it for him! A nice big piece of gaze, and some medical tape made a big enough band-aid for him. She looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you." She said.

Amai smiled back, he leaned down, took her hand and gently kissed it. "And I get to thank you."

She giggled to his actions and went back to her mother. "Smooth!" Suiryu laughed.

Amai rolled his eyes. "Are there any other places we need to go, what of the other threats?" he asked.

Suiryu checked his phone. All threats are now eliminated. "There are no more monsters, they are taken care of." He announced.

Amai was surprised. "Really? We were barely at this for an hour, and they are defeated already?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say, when we get the call, we get out there. Did you really think the M Class only goes out when called? Nah, Melee and Garou insist, if we see something on TV we go and check it out, just to be certain."

Goliath joined them, while he kept Alley up on her feet. "Easy sis, you did a number on yourself."

Alley was in a weakened state. She began to collapse until Suiryu caught her. "Whoa there… Jeeze, you got to be more careful!"

"Did… did we get everyone we could?" she asked weakly.

"Yes, you were brilliant." Said Amai. "Truly quick, elegant and strong. You should be pleased with yourself."

Alley only smiled. Her eyes rolled back as she passed out. Suiryu carried her from that moment on. Goliath stated he could get everyone home without an issue. "Just a moment, I am going to go back over the fallen monsters." Goliath nodded as Amai slithered back to the first three monsters he killed. Yet, he couldn't help but think along his way. He just witnessed the M Class in action. Despite the heroes already on the scene from what he saw on the news, there was no hesitation in the family. The twins and Pac who are not even registered as heroes took the call to arms. There was no refusal in the family, no one had a 'wait and see' attitude as he has seen in many heroes. Despite the damage done, some lives were indeed lost, yet not as many that could have been.

"They are doing something remarkable." Amai thought aloud to himself. "Even with Snek being like this, I never would have known there were survivors in that wreck if I was my old self."

Amai paused as he came to see what fallen monsters appeared the most… appetizing.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

October 31

The dojo was set.

The props arranged. Snek arrived attempting to look like the best mad scientist he could. He brought the same kid along with him that Amai saw when he was turned. "Ok, kid and I are ready!" Snek announced.

Kid was dressed just like Snek. Amai smirked. "You two nearly look identical, well done!"

"So, we get to really scare the crap out of people?" the kid asked.

"Half the fun, but we also got to be careful too. Real monsters come to this thing, thinking everyone is off guard… Garou eats really well this time of year."

"Oh? I didn't know that. How can you tell which are which?" asked Amai.

"Easy," Garou announced. "The smell, kid smell of candy, the monsters… smell like monsters. I'm sure you have eaten enough to know what they smell like Amai. So if you want to add a shock factor to the haunted house, feel free to eat in front of the people going by."

"HEY!" protested Charanko. He came out in his full makeup. The look was perfect. One Garou couldn't believe. Charanko crossed his arms. He wore a wig that mimicked Garou's hair, he has contacts in his eyes to give off the yellow irises he used to have, but then his face appeared to be covered in scars, as if he tried to have plastic surgery to complete his look. He dressed in Garou's old clothing and looked ready for the haunted house, but he wasn't happy with it.

"Damn… he really does almost look like a stitched up version of the human me!"

"How come I have to be Garou? Or my character is trying to make himself into him. This isn't fair! I am Master Bang's top student!"

"You were," corrected Garou. "Besides, this works perfectly. Now play the part well, and scare the little ones!"

He stormed off to take his place.

Max was going to be working the lights, Suiryu is in charge of sound effects. Very loud and sudden noises as such. Snek will be the guide as he brings people through the dojo. Bang is at the bottom taking tickets and money. Pac and Melee were stationed inside. Hunter decided to stay on patrol this year just in case there were an increase of monster sightings during Halloween.

"Anyone else joining this little festival?" Amai asked of Garou.

"Metal Bat and Zenko usually help out near the middle, Zenko goes trick or treating first, and then they came here and help out. Other than that, we're on our own with this."

"Ah, so what shall I do then?"

"Scare who you want, just don't go overboard. Seek out the monsters, eat them if you feel obliged to. If not kill them outside, or you will be waxing the floors."

Sweet Mask smiled and nodded. With that he took his position. He watched Garou go to the base of the mountain yet was kept hidden, even in his monster form. They made an extra large set down at the base of the mountain to make it appear there was nothing there, when he is in fact hiding in plain sight.

Amai slithered about and began to take everything in. It came together rather well. Realistic effects, perfect make up, haunting visuals. It would be worthy of a movie.

"PLACES!" shouted Melee.

Looking about, Amai slithered and hid behind the dojo as the first screams were heard. People shrieked in terror as Garou grabbed them from the stairs and brought them to the top of the mountain right before the dojo. They were already terrified from that alone! Yet, as Snek stepped out, he gave an evil laugh. "HAHA! My first visitors this night. Come. Don't be shy! I won't bite… but they might!"

The twins burst out of the forest, the make up was perfect. One was a wolf man, the other a bloody bat like vampire. They chased in the first round of trick or treaters and the door closes.

"hehe, this is great!" said Goliath.

Even Amai was getting excited for this, but how to get in on the fright? He slinked about, looking for a place to step in and give his own little scare, but he found everyone has picked their spots perfectly. He wasn't going to step in on someone else's fun, but still, he wanted in on the action!

He waited until the very end, the first to go through came out of the dojo, white as ghosts. "I don't want to go again…" one child said.

The teenagers however couldn't wait to go back down and do it all over.

Amai turned and was about to try and find a place to get in on the scares, when he noticed some teens were not here for the haunted dojo. In fact, they were taking the path to Garou's house!

Curious, he trailed them to see what was going on. The teens snickered and laughed as they were uttering how brilliant their plan was. "This is great, go in and raid the human monster's house! First one to get a bra from his wife or daughter win the pot!"

"Oh… that's what they want to do… very well then. I won't make it easy for them…" Amai was quick to slither ahead and out of sight of the teens. He will get a good scare in yet!


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The teens kept quite as they approached the house of Garou. They paused just before it, and then the battle of wits came among them. "You go first!"

"No you go first, it was your idea!"

"No, you go, you are always the first to chicken out!"

"I do not!"

The four bickered until the one who decided on the challenge offered to go on in first before his friends. "You're all a bunch of pussies! No one is home, they are all at that old fart's haunted dojo!" With that, he approached the front door. Much to his surprise it was unlocked… since the door opened on its own.

He froze as it creaked open, revealing the house and allowing him passage. He made one final turn to look at his friends who appeared petrified now. So, donning a brave face, he walked in. His feet stressed the wood, making a hunting, creeping sound. It only echoed in the house as he began to hear things, sounds that shouldn't belong in an empty home. Strange noises filled his ears, like something peeling and crackling, then the scraping against the floor and side of the walls.

The TV turned on.

The teenager jumped as he looked about, but found no one. His eyes turned to the walls and he saw the light switch. He tried to turn them on but no light would come. "What the hell…" he muttered.

BAM

A pan dropped out of nowhere. It teetered itself back and forth until it came to a stop on the ground. The teen felt his heart race in his chest, he decided to turn tail and run! He rushed outside as his friends waited for him. "Well? You get the bra?"

He shook his head. "Something is up with that house! Nothing is working, the TV went on but the lights don't work… something dropped… I don't know man…"

"Look, how about we all go in, that way no one is labeled a coward, and no one is left holding the bag on this huh?"

The four made their pack and agreed. With deep breaths they went back into the house. Their feet crossed the threshold, they took a few steps in when the door slammed shut! The jumped and braced each other, but quickly broke apart.

"The wind."

"Yeah, yeah the wind!" his friends said.

They began to divide up. Two went down the hall. One to the kitchen, the other to the living room. They looked about the house, trying to find the rooms of the girls. The two who went down the hall were startled. There was something on the floor, something tacky. "What the hell is this?" one teen whispered.

The other was brave enough to reach down and pick up the strange substance. Pulling out his phone, he brought the light to it. His hand trembled. "It's skin! Snake skin!" he whispered.

"Wait, they got a snake guy living here right? He probably shed recently."

"But… it's tacky… this… is fresh."

A door slammed. The two in the hall backtracked as their friends cautiously made their way towards them. "It's everywhere, this skin… the snake guy can't be that big, can he?"

Suddenly, they heard it. The sound of scales scrapping against the hardwood floor, the slink of monster flesh moving as it glided from side to side. They could hear it, but couldn't see it!

"Where the hell is that coming from? I don't see it, I can't see it!"

They all took out their phones, with the light they shined it around the room. But they dropped them in shock. They were surrounded by a serpent body! The teens clenched one another as Amai Mask appeared behind them, his eyes blood red, the veins protruding from his face and neck and throughout his snake body. "BOO!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

The teens tripped over him! They crawled across the ground as they rushed to the front door, but found it was locked. They were face to face with a serpent Amai Mask, he began to eye them oddly. His forked tongue whisked through his lips as a devious smile came over him. Amai said no words, he bared his fangs and gave off a demonic hiss. They became desperate; the teenagers threw themselves out the front window. They ran out back to the haunted Dojo and screamed all the way down the stairs.

Amai Mask grinned. "Hunter was right, this is a monster's Christmas!"

#

As Halloween came to an end, the night proved to be full of surprises. One, Amai was able to get in on the haunted house action. It was a good thing three monsters did show up. He was able to eat them before the trick or treaters for that little extra fear factor. Pity though, they weren't bigger. Second, Metal Bat and his sister came by around 8 to help out. They dressed Metal Bat up as a demonic looking vampire. Zenko kept behind the scenes with Pac to help out with the effects.

When the last person went through the dojo, it was midnight. Bang came back up the steps with more money then he could carry! The look on his face said it all. "It was our best year yet!" he announced. "I have never seen so many people come to the haunted dojo before."

"Well, it's official." Garou said with a sigh. "Amai has to help us next year,"

He grinned. "Really? You want MY help? Well, I think something can be arranged."

"By the way, where did you go? I saw you here one moment, then gone the next. Couldn't pick a spot?" Melee asked.

"Oh, I had some… trouble makers to tend to. Some teenagers thought it would be amusing to break into your house and to steal a bra from Melee or Alley."

"Damn teenagers!" Garou said with a sneer. "Damn it, I was going to scare them too! They do this every year, and it's not always a bra they are after either."

"No need to be concerned, I took care of it… it was delightful." Amai said with a devious grin.

"Uh oh, you really scared the piss out of them didn't you?" asked Metal Bat.

"More or less, if I did. I will certainly clean it up, speaking of which I got to get my shedding off the floor before everyone gets back… added fear factor. Oh, Snek. I got a moisturizer for you! Place this on and you will glide out of your skin when you shed!"

"Uh… thanks?" said Snek. "Well, I got to head back, it's way pass Kid's bedtime. No doubt I will not hear the end of it from your mom!"

Kid laughed. "This has been the best Halloween ever for me!"

Snek ruffled up Kid's hair before saying goodnight to everyone as Alley gave them a lift home.

"So. You enjoyed yourself?" Suiryu asked Amai.

His head nodded back and forth in thought. "I enjoyed it more than I anticipated."

"He had fun," said Melee.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Amai was ticking off the days, he just got through he first week of November. The family just settled in for the night and he himself was about to go to bed.

Until he heard it once more.

The creaking outside his doorway, the large figure shadow peering just under the door, then it opened. Amai looked up and saw Draven once more entering his room. "Come on in," Sweet Mask sighed.

Draven slowly made his way in, but there was something odd. Amai didn't notice it at first, but there was a look on Draven's face. "Is this the same nightmare you have been having?"

"Yes… same one… each time…" he was embarrassed. "I shouldn't be doing this, but… it scares me so much!" he began to weep a little, for the first time, Sweet Mask knew Draven wasn't doing this to annoy him, he was sincerely scared.

"Come, tell me all about it."

Draven didn't go to lie on top of him for a moment, instead he merely leaned again Amai as he thought over the dream. "I see everyone… surrounded by the same looking man with this strange machine. It hit Snake, but it turned him back to what he should be, a human. He was so happy too when that occurred, but then… they turned it on dad… dad got really weak and looked sick. Mom yelled for us to run, trying to get us to escape as these men continued to attack. We just made a hole in the wall to escape from when we were all struck from behind. I got cold… very, very cold."

Draven paused as the tears began to escape. "I remember but a number 78. And he said he was going to kill us to bring about a new world, a new evolution."

His hand began to trembled, but Draven appeared to have settled as his hand went onto Amai's back. "I felt better, when I felt Snake's scales… I knew I was safe."

There was nothing he could say. Sweet Mask was rendered silent as Draven looked to him. "I'll go to my parent's room…"

"No, you can stay. Come on, up you go," Draven slowly eased himself on to Amai's back, luckily he just ate so there was a nice wide surface area for him to rest on. "Get yourself a blanket too, I think you left one here the last time." He tucked Draven in, he was quick to fall asleep.

Sweet Mask however knew that he suffered from a trauma, perhaps Melee and Garou need to be told about it…

#

Throughout the night, Amai woke here and there when he felt Draven grasp on to his side rather abruptly. He was grabbed every so often, but it wasn't painful, he began to believe it was Draven's way of soothing himself. Making certain he was safe, this was why he slept on Snek the way he did. Snek was security, and Snek was safe in his mind.

By morning, Draven usually was quick to wake and try to slink back to his room before his parents knew what was happening. However, as Amai woke that morning, he found Garou peering into the room and notice Draven. "We really got to break him of that habit." Garou sighed.

"Your son needs therapy."

"Hey!"

"No, I am serious." He said with sincerity in his voice. Amai turned to Draven and paused. "Garou, what happened with the house of evolution? What happened in the event that nearly took your family?"

Garou appeared surprised that Amai wanted to know, nearly word for word as to what Draven told him last night, it was the same story. The event traumatized him. "The twins were young when it happened, Goliath was able to process and understand it better since he matured faster than his brother… Draven at the time had the mindset of an eight year old child."

"Draven hasn't been able to process it. He has nightmares of the event. Garou, I mean this with great respect… he needs help. It is the reason why he sneaks into not just my room, but when Snek is here as well. He remembers what happened, he relives it nearly every night. But, the moment he feels serpent scales… he settles. He knows Snek saved the family, and he feel safe when he is within reach of him. Garou, you need to help him."

There was a stunned look on the face of the human monster. Just then Draven woke up. When he noticed his father, he fell off of Amai and tried to explain himself. Garou however was quick to silence him. "Draven… it's okay. We need to talk about your nightmares. Let's see if we can resolve them."

Draven began to cry once more. He picked himself up off the floor and rushed into Garou's arms. "Why did they want to hurt us? Why did he want to have us killed?"

Garou held his son tightly. "I don't know, come on, let's go talk to your mother about this. I don't want you to be scared anymore."

Amai had never seen Garou act so affectionate towards his children before. He could feel the love he has for his child; he could hear it in his voice. He has seen Garou as a cold and heartless soul, but just that moment, Amai realized there was far more to the human monster. He led his son out of the room, but Sweet Mask thought there was something more he could do to assist them. He rose up and slithered out just as he was about to speak, he froze. Garou grew himself bigger and taller, his dragon serpents then unraveled from his body and took hold of his son, and gently he was coxed into his body side and was enveloped. "What… on… earth…" he whispered.

Peering out behind Garou was Melee, she went to Amai and explained what was happening. "Garou is going to help him confront the nightmare." She whispered. "But he need to mediate to do so. It's best to keep silent."

Sweet Mask nodded as he watched from afar. Garou set himself up on the floor near the corner of the room, his eyes closed but the third eye opened. He gently braced his body. His wings wrapped around himself tightly, his arms came down and held where Draven was contained and then, there was silence. "He's done this before, hasn't he?" Amai whispered.

Melee nodded. "You know of our incident with Metal Knight?" she asked, he shook his head. "Metal Knight wanted to experiment on the children, believing they were the key in defeating monsters. So he wanted to study them, see what made them tick. Despite the association refusing the notion, he went on ahead and did so anyway. Garou and I were lured away into a fake meeting, he took the children and did his tests… that was when we had to fake our deaths to lure Metal Knight into a false sense of security," Amai froze to the news. "It was shortly after we were able to get them home, the triplets grew themselves into teenagers out of the trauma and fought their way out. Garou took them into himself, they were exhausted from the event. He did this when the triplets were small, we didn't have Snek. Instead, Garou would take them into his body and hold them until they were ready to come out again."

"Remarkable. That must be a strain on his body, isn't it?"

"I never asked him, but I know he never hesitates, he never refuses his children either when they ask. Garou cares for his family."

Amai froze as Draven began to move about violently, Garou strained a little but was quick to settle his son. He remained still for nearly an hour, until relief came over him. His wings opened, his side began to unravel, and he eased Draven out and on to the floor. He appeared far more calm and relaxed since this morning. When his eyes opened, he looked about the room. "If you feel scared again, remember…" Garou explained.

Draven nodded his head as he slowly stood up once more. He turned to Amai and smiled. "Thank you…"

"None is needed." Sweet Mask explained. "I never knew you went through so much distress before. I am sorry that happened to you and your family."

"Get to know us, you'll realize we've been a lot," said Melee.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Mid November.

He couldn't believe it was mid November already. Yet, there was something troubling Amai. He has been listening to the number one song on the charts for the past month and a half now. The one that brought him back his Rank 1 status. The song the fans couldn't get enough of, and now the one he will have to do live when he does a concert. Time and time again, he listened to it. It was his voice that was certain. And yet, the passion, the pain of it… wasn't. "How did you do it?" Amai muttered.

He was on his tenth play of the day, focusing only on that song. Yet as he peered around his room, he jumped at the sight of demonic feet before him! Taking off his headphones he peered up at Garou. "You going to join us for lunch or are you sulking again?" he asked.

"Sorry, in my own little world…" He paused, taking the headphones out, the song began to play aloud in his room. Garou sneered to it as Amai then paused it. "How… did you make this so heart wrenching? I cannot possibly mimic this passion… this… emotion," he said.

"Look, I didn't know what else to do. Okay…"

"You are not apologizing for helping me create one of my best albums. I need to know HOW you sung this. What was your inspiration? How could you have summons such pain and put it into this? I HAVE to know, my manager is already texting me, stating this song as to be sung when I go on tour again. When I come back, I have to do this live on a TV show. Please, help me!" he begged.

Garou sighed and rolled his eyes to it all. "You already got the inspiration for it. I can't be that hard for you to find the pain to bring that song to life."

"It's more difficult than you think. I've been practicing out in the forest for the past week, trying to get the tone, the pitch and passion… I can't."

Garou's arms crossed as he sighed again. "Am I really going to have to help you with this?"

"I would appreciate it, please?"

"After lunch," he muttered. "You hungry?"

#

It was the first time he hunted with Garou before. Amai noticed his technique… or lack of one. Garou would go by what the association was keeping an eye on, high level monsters that were out of the cities yet in the mountains and isolated areas. However, Garou was looking for the creatures that would linger by low populated areas. Those who were out of the cities range to call for help and were left to fend off these monsters on their own. It wasn't the most appealing way of travel either. Garou grew himself to his monster form and told Amai to coil around his wrist as he took flight.

He could see everything from the sky, yet there was an area that gained the interest of the human monster. A massive clearing before a small village, it wasn't man made. In a steep dive, he landed in the cleared woods. Amai uncoiled and Garou shrunk down once more. "Just… how?" Amai questioned. "You do that with such ease and grace… I couldn't control myself!"

Garou smirked. "As I said, I had trouble with this too. Until I was able to understand why I couldn't control myself. When I figured it out, it became a simple matter of going back and forth. It took time, but you know me… I learn fast."

Amai forced a half grin as he looked about. "What is this place? Why should we be concerned about it?"

Garou smirked to him. "Really? Why should we be concerned about it? It doesn't bother you that there are monsters out here too, in remote areas where the people don't have much of an opportunity to call for help?" he questioned.

Amai froze.

Garou began to even chuckle. "You know, for a hero, sometimes, you really do suck at it!"

Amai hissed in anger. "That is uncalled for!"

"Is it? Have you ever gone this far out to stop a monster? Have you got beyond city limits and take down a threat that isn't within a city? Have you taken out a monster without even being asked to do so since you know it was attacking a remote area?"

As quickly as his anger rose, it dissipated. Amai never considered what Garou said was true. "No…" he muttered begrudgingly.

"And this is why I am glad the M Class has no rank. I get to do this shit and not have to worry about someone reporting it. I do whatever the hell I want and not look for praise for my actions, that isn't what being a hero is about, right?"

A low growl came out of Amai Mask. He did have a point. Yet the moment was quick to end when the ground began to tremble. Something big was coming and heading towards the village. Amai peered over his shoulder and saw the people come out armed with what little they possessed, yet, once they saw Garou and himself standing there, the people were stunned.

"Is that the human monster? With Amai Mask?"

"I believe it is, how did they know we needed help?"

"I don't really care how they know, I am just glad they are here!"

Garou's smile grew. "Even in remote areas, they know who we are. So… you hungry?"

Amai could eat. It was strange though, from what he was told by Snek, his meals should last him a few weeks. Amai has to eat at least once a week to maintain himself! Either way, he wasn't about to back down to a beast, or a nice large meal!

Trees began to crack and fall around them, the creatures of the forest ran out into the open field in panic. The birds took off into the sky as the monsters made their way forward. It was a small legion, about seven rather large creatures but no worst than a tiger threat if they were in the city. Amai stared at them oddly, they were vile looking creature, plump and appeared like demonic hippos with razor sharp teeth. "Uh, I cannot fight anything hideous!" he protested.

Garou rolled his eyes. "You're not fighting them… you're eating them. Completely different"

Still, the sight wasn't the least bit pleasing to Amai. Even if he was eating these things they were still horrible to look at.

#

"BBBBUUUURRRRPPPP!"

"Where you raised in a barn or something? That is most uncalled for,"

Garou sat rather contently to the feast. Amai was just plain full and couldn't bring himself to move. He took three for himself. The rest went to Garou. However, he couldn't help but notice the look on his face. "Huh, if I didn't know any better, I swear you have gotten to Snek's length. Strange thought, you're not as thick as he was and yet you have double his stomach capacity…"

"Must you speak of this now?" Amai sighed.

"Just saying." snickered Garou. Amai then felt it, footsteps approaching them. He could barely turn his head when he saw the people of the village approach them with caution. Garou rose up and greeted them. "Sorry for dropping in like this. Was that all the creatures attacking your village?" he asked.

"There were eight before…" one man said. "But no one has seen it."

"Ah, they sent the fodder before the main threat huh?" Garou paused but nodded. "Okay then," he turned to the people. "Mind looking after this big guy for me? I'll go take the last one out. He needs to be kept warm if you don't mind, he falls asleep out here it won't be good for his digestion."

"I do not need assistance, I can manage," Amai muttered.

Garou laughed. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. I'll be back, don't go anywhere!" he teased and took off.

Amai rolled his eyes and laid there, despite what Garou said, he was right, he was a little too full to move, and a little too chilled to do so as well. The weather was far colder than he expected. Yet, the villagers were silent as they began to dig small holes around him. He was curious as children came out with twigs and sticks and filled the small holes. From there they began to light fires, Amai became surrounded in warmth from the small campfires the people made for him. Some even brought out blankets and covered him up to keep the chill off.

"Thank you,"

"We have to know, how did the heroes association know of our issue? We have written them for assistance for the past few weeks but got no response. They usual write back the moment a plea is received is sent out for help." One woman asked.

"It's true, it can take months for them to reply to us!"

"Perhaps it is because we are not in the cities, they have a higher population…"

"At least the M Class responds, we only get an S Class if we sign a contract. Flash usually is the only one who makes it this far."

' _So there are areas in which a hero's job can be improved upon, I didn't realize the M Class went this far out of their way to assist people.'_ he thought.

CLASH!

He jumped at the sound. There was something coming this way! The largest of the monsters came running through the woods in panic. Yet it froze when it saw Sweet Mask. Gathering what strength he could, he was able to force the monsters he ate farther down his stomach to allow him to appear poised to strike! Yet before it could decide on what to do, it was struck hard from behind!

The beast fell and Garou stood behind it. "Damn, this thing really didn't want to die today… too bad." He didn't hesitate and ate it then and there. With the threat cleared the people were eternally grateful.

"Thank goodness there is the M Class, we never would have been given help any other way!"

"Thank you! Thank you Garou. Thank you Amai Mask!"

"Thanks for lunch!" said Garou, he then turned back to Amai. "Okay big guy, let's get you home and I'll help you with your damn song!"


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

"No,"

"What do you mean no? The pitch was perfect!"

"Sure the pitch was, but the emotion wasn't… I still can't believe I am helping you with this. I should just leave you to figure it out for yourself, yet still… damn it why the hell am I even doing this!"

He began to wonder that too. It wasn't like Garou to help him like this if at all. Yet, here they were in Amai's room working on the song that Garou sung as him, and yet Sweet Mask can't bring himself to match the tone. They were at it for the past three days, and made no progress. "What did you use as inspiration?"

"Who else?" questioned Garou. "Are you not using her for that inspiration too? Look, you can! I mean, it's how I managed. I thought if we couldn't change back, if she couldn't see that you became me, and I became you. I would NEVER have Melee back in my life again. We are using the same woman to help bring out the emotion of this song. Aren't we? Or are you just singing it for the pure hell of it all?"

Amai froze. "You were thinking of her throughout the whole song…"

"I have no doubt you could too. Have you tried?" Garou asked. "You obviously have felt this heart ache before, I don't think you need me to tell you that."

Amai gave a small laugh. "I didn't think you put that kind of emotion into it…"

"Well I did, so try it again."

With that, Amai played the music once more, this time. He found the emotion. There was a few times where Garou stopped him, explaining that he needed to go deeper than that. Amai tried, but couldn't find it. "What really got to you when it came to Melee, the moment you know there was no going back, she wasn't going to be yours?" he questioned. "You don't have to tell me either, because I ain't interested."

Sweet Mask thought it over, it was the moment he heard from Child Emperor about the scales that grew on her arms. He then overheard at the meeting with Zombieman that it was a sign of Garou marking her as his mate. He knew then and there, Melee was gone to him. She was turned into a monster from that moment on and there was nothing to reverse it. "I got it now," he muttered.

Once more, he sang the song, this time, he hit the notes, and he hit the emotion needed to project the heartache of it all. When it was done, Garou nodded. "Yeah, you got it,"

"I need to test it… I need to sing this before a small audience to know for sure…"

Garou rolled his eyes. "Fine!" he sighed. "I'll be right back." He got up and out of the room begrudgingly, Amai was thrilled that he finally got the tone perfect, and yet, in doing so… he has to remember everything he lost, and the woman he can never obtain for himself. It was twenty minutes when Garou knocked on his door. "Can you move on your own?" he asked.

It was only a few days since the feast, and yet Amai could move himself a little, but not too much. "Uh… not really…"

Garou gave a disgruntled sigh. "Can someone help Amai please! Bring him to the dojo, and make sure you go around back, he just ate!"

"Dojo? He's going to have me sing before Bang?!"

His bedroom door opened. Pac stood there and levitate Amai up. "Wait, I am going to the dojo to sing this? But, is no one there?" he asked.

"Shut up and just wait and see!" protested Garou. "Pac, let's go."

Amai couldn't really say much more as he was take to the dojo, around the back and then into the main sparring room. At first he thought it was going to be just Silverfang and perhaps Garou's children. Yet he was stunned. The dojo was full of students who sat rather nervously before him!

"You wanted an audience, this is Bang's afternoon class. So, have at it," said Garou.

Amai stood himself up rather proudly. "Thank you for your assistance… I have been trying to prefect this song live and I would like some feedback…" He paused as he noticed Melee and the family slip in through the front. Garou brought the speaker so he could have his music and started to play.

The whole time Amai kept staring at Melee, as he sung. Deep down, he felt she was the only one in the room. Yet, as the song came to the end, he took notice of everyone else… they were rendered silent. The few women who took Bang's class were in tears and applauded him. The guys were rendered silent. "Holy… shit…" Charanko muttered.

"Was that okay?" Amai asked.

Many people could only nod their heads to him. Even Bang was rendered silent. "Same reaction I got when I did it. I think you nailed it." Said Garou. "Now… never speak of this again. I ain't helping you with your music career!"


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Amai was entering the home stretch, as it was the final week of November. Yet something strange was going on in the house. The kids were asking him odd questions. "What's your favorite color?"

"What kind of moisturizer do you use?"

"Is there anything you would like for Christmas?"

Christmas… he never really thought about it. The holidays were always his busiest time of the year. He would be doing Christmas specials, movies and even music. Yet this year, he got it all for himself. Yet, he never really celebrated, there was no one to celebrate it with! He would throw parties all the time with cast, crew and fellow actors and musicians, and yet, he still didn't celebrate it.

When the kids finished their bombardment of questions, he slithered into the kitchen with great confusion. "What is with them? Why are they asking what I want for Christmas?" he said aloud.

The table froze. Suiryu with a mouth full of toast said. "They want to get you something, isn't it obvious?"

"I could do without the crumbs being launched at me." Amai sighed, yet he shook his head. "Why would they get me anything? After what I put their family through, what I have said over the years, what I've done… I don't deserve anything."

"That's not how they see it," said Max. "You keep forgetting, everyone under this roof… is family. Not to mention you have helped the family this year, you fulfilled Snek's obligations, you helped take down monsters, so perhaps they felt you have been good for the past few months." He said. "But it did surprise us too the first year we were here. We were part of their family and they got us something to open on Christmas morning."

Amai was nervous. "Then… I should get them something…"

"Oh good luck with that!" said Suiryu. "What do you get a family that has everything? Huh? Alley can make her own electronics, the twins aren't really into possessions, same with Pac and Hunter. Garou and Melee aren't either. They are just happy to have a healthy family!"

"Oh no, there is something we can do. If we pool our resources here and figure out something… are you two interested?" he asked.

There was an exchange of looks between Suiryu and Max, but they looked back at him and smiled with a nod of their heads. "Good, I already have an idea for the twins. I need you two to scope out Pac and Hunter for me. I will take Alley…"

"Why don't I get Alley?" asked Suiryu.

"Too obvious" said Amai. "Besides, they won't expect me to go along with this now would they?"

"Point taken. Okay, divide and conquer!" announced Max.

#

Amai managed to lure Alley to the mall, just for some time away from the lab and the house. She was also starting her Christmas shopping, yet was stumped on what to get everyone. "I usually make something, but this year, I got no inspiration!" she said with a sigh.

Amai nodded. "People are hard to shop for aren't they? I can't say I share your struggle since I don't really celebrate the holiday. I didn't have anyone to share it with."

"Awww!" sighed Alley. "That's the worst!"

He was surprised by her reaction. "I don't mind though. I am use to it, it's strange for me since I am living in your house with your family. I don't quite know what to expect anymore."

Alley giggled. "Hunter will wake you up at the butt crack of dawn to open presents, despite dad insisting on sleeping in for at least another two hours. Mom and Pac make breakfast, I play Santa and pass out the gifts. Still, I rather make something than buy it."

"Can I offer any feedback in anyway?"

She was surprised. "Okay, what do you suggest?"

Amai thought it over. "I haven't seen Max use the hot springs, I know it's because of his power. Isn't there something you could make for him? Something that would ensure he doesn't electrocute those in the spring with him? Rubber bracelets on his wrist and ankles?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "That's brilliant!"

"I have my moments…."

"ALLEY!" Amai paused as he turned and saw Metal Bat's little sister Zenko fast approach. "Are you shopping too?"

"I am. How about you? Got big bro done?"

"He's easy to shop for…" Zenko suddenly froze as she turned and stared at Amai Mask. "No… way… Amai Mask!?" she whispered.

He smiled and nodded. "So, what did you get Metal bat? I won't tell him a thing."

Zenko laughed. She got him hair gel, a new comb, boots and a jacket she is going to pick up just a few stores ahead of them. "I am stuck on Pac though!"

"Pac is hard to shop for, he is really into a Manga right now, I am trying to remember what it's called…"

"Mob Psycho 100." Said Amai. "He leaves those everywhere." But then another idea came to mind. "I do have a suggestion for a manga, it's called the Ancient Mage's Bride. He may enjoy that too."

"That's the one! And good suggestion on a new manga!" said Alley. "I know a collectors edition went out recently too for Mob, but hasn't gotten it yet…"

"Okay, thanks!" she wrote down the idea. Yet Zenko appeared to be tried from all the walking around.

"Would you care to join us on our shopping trip?" asked Amai. "If you like I can give you a lift… have a seat" he said pointing to his back.

Zenko froze. "You… want to carry me?"

"I'm over 30 feet, and I am not using my back for anything else, might as well. Have a seat, Alley, you too" He extended his hands to the both of them. "Your chariot awaits!"

The girls giggled as they took a seat on his back, throughout the mall they traveled on Amai, as he listened in on their conversations as to who to get what and what they may like. Amai already figured out for Pac, he needs a date night package with Zenko. Alley a good spa package with Suiryu. Hunter's gift may have to wait for now. And for Melee and Garou… well… that he will have to speak with them about. Yet he wanted something for Lightning Max and Snek.

As they slithered through the mall, Alley began to laugh. "I can see now why the twins always wanted to be with Snek, he was great to get around on!"

"Oh yes, I heard about that. They wouldn't leave him alone."

Amai was good with the girls, he insisted they have a good time shopping and he would wait around for them, even hold on to their bags. The whole time though, he contended with his legion of fans that wanted to clamor over him.

"Amai Mask! Over here! Let's do some photos!"

"No over here, sign my shirt!"

"No this way, look over here, let's get some great photos for your hero association page!"

"Ladies, please, you know the rule that I am bounded by right now. No media, no photos, no interviews…"

"You haven't done anything since that last interview! We NEED you Amai Mask! We NEED you to come back" one girl cried.

"You have a mere month to wait, and you get the perfect hero back in your midst, for now, please, I must abide by the rules sent out for me. Respect them as you would respect me."

The women sneered, none of them liked the rules in place. They left, and yet he could tell by how they stormed off, this could have gone a lot worst. Alley and Zenko came out from the store when the mob cleared out. Alley took a deep breath. "Phew, they really are relentless!"

"I am just starting to notice that…"

"Well, I should get going, I got to get this wrapped and hidden before Bad try to find it!" announced Zenko.

"Before you do, would you ladies like to get lunch? My treat." Amai announced.

Zenko accepted, Alley was surprised to the offer but agreed as well. Amai took them to one of the restaurants within the mall and a good table to sit at. He coiled himself neatly yet was tempted to get something for himself. "You can still eat normal food you know, it won't fill you but you can enjoy it" snickered Alley.

He was surprised. "How did you…"

"Snek had the same look once before. We went out for lunch yet debated on getting something to eat. I would have just been more for pleasure for himself, not really anything filling."

He smirked and decided to get a little something, after all, he will be eating normally again soon enough. He may as well get use to it once more.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The days flew by, the house was abuzz and there were but a few days left until Christmas. He snickered when the Twin's gift arrived and barely fit through the double doors. Everyone in the family grew curious as to what it was, but Mask only tucked the packages behind the tree as best he could. They stuck out like a sore thumb! If anything it was as if he were trying to hide two industrial tires in the living room!

Amai finished shopping ages ago, and yet for the first time, he was looking forward to Christmas morning! There was an excitement in the air, and he couldn't help but be caught up in all of it. He decided to give Snek his gift early. So, he made his way to City F, not for patrol, but to see Snek of all people. He called him ahead of time and asked him to meet him outside of his condo.

Snek obliged.

He stood there waiting. Despite the chill in the air and the fresh snow on the ground, Amai made his way towards him. "This is a first, what's this about?" Snek asked.

"I want to show you something…"

Curiosity got the better of Snek as he nodded. Amai slithered along, yet couldn't help but feel he was being followed. He turned and saw children trailing the path he was making with his slither. Snek turned and snickered. "Yeah, you get a little fan club when you can clear the streets like that. Wait until you get to the park, help a kid make a snow fort and it will make their day! Besides, you got my strangling ability right? You can make one hell of a snowball!"

"I'm surprise to be this coherent in the cold like this… Alley new device is splendid." Snek looked over Amai and found he was dressed in waterproof material that covered his back and upper body. "She managed to tuck in a heating device into this outfit. Granted, not my material, but I won't complain, it's the warmest I have felt since I discovered that!" he said and pointed to an odd structure.

Snek appeared confused, he approached what he thought was an art piece of a massive, large flat stone. "Uh… huh… what is it?"

Amai smirked. "A warming station for when you return to this. In the winter, it's a heating rock. During the summer it will cool you down. I am having one of these put into each city for you. Consider it a little peace offering and a Christmas gift."

There was a look of shock on Snek's face. "Really? You did this?" he asked.

"I can't say I enjoy the sensation of nearly blacking out when it gets too cold, I have yet to handle any sort of heat like this, but I can only assume it is just as uncomfortable."

"Wow… I can't believe you did this for me."

"I also did it for me, I mean, look at me!" he said.

Snek smirked. "I doubt you would go through all that trouble since you turn back in what? Two and a half weeks?"

Amai smirked, but the smile vanished. "Are you ready to go back?" he asked.

Snek was silent, he thought it over but then, nodded his head. "Honestly, I am. I know what I got right now ain't mine. But also, I feel as if I can do a lot more like that than like this…"

"I've felt first hand what you can do. Never did I consider the power you possessed, the vibrations you can feel… recently I used that ability to find survivors after a monster attack. Had I been human, I would have walked away without knowing! It's remarkable."

"Glad you are seeing the light in all this." Snek forced a smile. "You know, this just about makes up for everything you have said or done to me…"

A pit formed in Amai Mask. "I still have one more labor to do…" he said offhandedly.

"Labor? Is that how you see it? Let me ask, are you doing this for the sake of doing this? Or are you doing this because it means something to you?" Snek questioned.

Sweet Mask sighed. "It's both." He said. "Many things I have done are for the sake of doing them, just to say yes, I accomplished this while I looked like this. But, now, it does mean something to me. I see things a little clearer now, I understand the M Class better than I could before. I know now they are not out to make other heroes look bad, they truly want to help the people. They would be more monstrous if they did nothing at all with the strength and abilities they possess. How could one sit idly by as others risk their own lives who may not have the power or ability to withstand an attack?" he paused. "From here on, I will be a better hero than I was before. I am still merciless to those I deem evil… but the M Class are no longer evil in my eyes."

Snek nodded. "I hope this sticks, I know you, sometimes you say something and then you don't fulfill it. Don't think I didn't know about the bet you made with Garou and Hunter when that rookie crushing happened!"

This shocked Amai. "You knew?"

"Why do you think I fought so hard? I wasn't going to let the kid down like that! Not to mention, I know what it's like to be kept in one spot for so long and yet not able to go anywhere. I also know that no matter how hard I worked at it. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the top of A Class, I get it. I ain't strong enough, but, being the serpent… I know I am, I know what I can do and how much I can help the people. I can see now why they would want that version of me over this one."

"I'm surprised that there are people that love me like this over the human version of myself as well…"

"Oh come off it, you're Amai Mask! You could be a shaved jackass and I am sure the women would still swoon over you!"

"I don't wish to test that notion."

"Me either." Laughed Snek. "So, anything you want for Christmas?"

Amai froze. "Why are you asking me?"

"Well, I am going to be at Garou's for Christmas, I got to start moving my stuff back. I'll be bringing a friend of mine and the kid with me…"

"This friend, old acquaintance I assume?" he asked.

Snek nodded. "Back when I just got into A Class, we were going steady until the rank went to my head… I only reconnected with her a few days after I became human, complete coincidence I think."

"Is anything coincidental?" Amai asked.

Snek shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know anymore. I just hope that maybe… she will still be around after I turn back."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Christmas Eve.

The tree was up. The gifts lay under it. The family was making a feast as they once more invited Saitama and Genos over. The two weren't going much of anything so they accepted. "Wow, festive…" said Saitama.

"Come on in you two. And if you want to stay over, you are welcome to. We got plenty of room." Said Melee.

"Thank you for the kind offer, we don't have much in the way of plans for the holidays," explained Genos.

It wasn't long either until Snek arrived with the same woman and her son.

Melee made a massive Hot Pot dinner, much to the excitement of Saitama. When everyone was at the table, they dug in and helped themselves. Even Amai coiled up and joined the feast. The food was delightful, the company bearable to say the least for Amai, but the conversations they had were entertaining and amusing. Hunter in particular was the master storyteller as he would go on about recent events of creatures he fought, and bounties he has picked up.

Alley would mention about the Christmas market she and Suiryu went to recently and brought back many treats for everyone to have after dinner. Melee purchased some specialty teas for the occasion. Pac was appearing more comfortable with himself in recent weeks. The twins were training harder than ever on their powers. Lightning Max has kept up with his training regiment and makes certain that he checks in with Flashy Flash once a month to ensure his progress and lessons are being retained.

Snek was stating how much he really is looking forward to turning back again, despite losing his legs once more. "You never realize how easy you had it without legs when you stub your toe in the morning! My God! That's a painful bastard!" he announced.

Amai snickered. "It's true!" he announced. "It's only bad if someone steps on the tip of your tail! Luckily people are cautious and try not to do it."

Garou snickered. "You two got more in common now than before, don't you?"

Amai smirked as Snek chuckled. "Guess so, but hell, it's not the strangest thing going on in this world… I got to say this though. Garou, Melee, thanks for the switch and change of pace. Amai… couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!"

Amai laughed. "I tend to agree with that."

"Serious, who the hell is this guy?" demanded Suiryu.

With dinner over, Melee made tea as the snacks were spread out. They watched Christmas specials as more gifts were placed under the tree. Curious, Amai kept peering over, trying to see which ones were which. "Hey! No peeking!" scolded Draven.

"We're not even allow to peek!" said Goliath.

"I'm just checking!" Amai said defensively.

As the night wore on, it wasn't long before everyone decided to head off to bed. Amai went to his room, yet paused as he saw Melee set up some sleeping mats. "I can take some in my room if you want. It's a little snug…"

"I'll go!" said Draven.

"Sure for old time sake." Announced Goliath. "Genos and Saitama can have our beds mom."

"You sure about this Amai?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "It hasn't stopped them before. Besides, I don't mind it." With that he slithered into his room, got himself comfortable and waited for the twins. They came in shortly after. Draven took his usual spot, as Goliath slept near the middle. They snuggled in covered themselves up and were quick to fall asleep.

Amai turned the light off and was quick to doze off himself…

#

CRACK

BAM

BANG!

He jumped to the noise. "What the hell was that!" he said.

The twins suddenly woke, Draven yawned aloud. "Hunter, he's probably pretending he lost his way to the bathroom."

"That or that's the strangest piss I have ever heard someone take." Muttered Goliath. But then, his eyes shot open. "It's Christmas morning!"

The whole house began to wake as they realized despite the loud wake up call. It was indeed Christmas morning. Even Saitama and Genos woke! "What's with the racket?" asked Saitama.

Everyone peered out of their rooms and saw Hunter in the kitchen. "Sorry! I was going to get an early start on breakfast"

Amai looked at his phone. "It's four in the morning."

"For the love of God…" they heard Garou mutter. He came out of his room and looked about. "Is everyone up?" he asked.

"Yes,"

"Fine, Hunter sit. Melee, I'll get the coffee…"

"YES!" cheered Hunter.

"How old is he again?" Amai asked aloud.

"Just about 5 years," said Melee.

"Sadly, his excitement is justified…" The twins got off Amai's back and went to the living room. Hunter was sitting with great excitement around the tree as everyone else slowly made their way out of their rooms. Saitama was nearly dead on his feet.

"Why did we agree to stay over again?" he asked aloud.

"Well, you stated if we did, that there would be additional snacks and food…" Genos said offhandedly.

"Shhh, not so loud!"

Amai snickered as he coiled a little ways away from the tree. When the family gathered, and everyone had at least a cup of coffee in their system, the gifts were handed out. Alley went around to make sure everyone got one. Then, it was time to open. It was a strange tradition. Garou's family let the company go first, one at a time to people could see and enjoy the moment of someone getting their present. The first was one Kid, his was from Snek and he revealed to his excitement his own biting snake fist dojo uniform! "Awesome!"

"It's official, I have taught you all the leg strikes for obvious reasons and you mastered them fast. We will work on the arm thrusts and strikes, but now you will look the part!"

The woman Snek was seeing went next, she opened her box and found a ring! Much to the shock of the family, "I got to do this now, I ain't going to have knees soon enough!" Snek got down on one knee and proposed! "I am not going to look like this for much longer, but I lost you in my life once before, I don't want to lose you again. Marry me?" he asked.

She full heartedly accepted.

"Ooo that's a tough one to top." Said Garou as the room laughed.

Saitama got a gift from Melee and Garou, a tea set with specialty teas to go long with it. He was thrilled! Well… as excited as Saitama can get. It's hard to tell with him.

Genos was given new parts and tools for self-repairs, he was happy with his gift. Not to mention a massive pack of sardines in oil.

The twins were next. They happened to be opening the one Amai got for them. They were massive and hard to hide behind the tree. "I am a little concerned as to what this is…" Melee said off hand. Yet the twins tore open their gift, it ballooned out of the packaging and the room fell into a fit of laughter. Life size pillows of Snek and Amai as serpents!

"NO WAY!" laughed Goliath as he flopped on to his.

"I even had the middle filled up extra since you like to sleep on the lumpy part." Announced Amai. "But that's from Suiryu, Max and I."

The twins loved their gift, they sat on it for the remainder of Christmas morning!

When it was Amai's turn, he looked at his present and saw it was from Garou. "This is a little bit of a gag gift. I only had a few of these made…"

Curiosity got the better of him now. So he ripped open the wrapping, in hand was a heroes association book. But there were two pages marked. Amai flipped it open and it showed his Class A rank 1 status, but there was something strange about it. "Thank you?" he said offhandedly.

"Go to the other page marked, dumbass!" Garou snapped.

Amai did, he turned to the other page marked, and it was in the M Class section of the book he was there too! One of the fan photos of him in his serpent form on the heating rock, holding a rose was the main photo, and yet, he noticed behind the image was his human shadow from the Class A section! It was beautifully done. "You had me in the M Class section of the book?"

"I had it specially made, this won't be available to the public, and I made one for you, Max, Snek and Suiryu of your human forms and monster class page." Garou paused. "Oh right, those guys didn't open my gift yet…"

"Spoiler alert!" laughed Melee.

"Thank you… I like it, I really do!" said Amai.

He got many thoughtful gifts from the family, another was a jacket that appeared thin but could block the winter chill. Best of all, it stretched. Alley made it for him and borrowed her brothers to demonstrate as they each took a sleeve and began to pull it hard! It could span the length of the house but snap back to regular form the moment the tension was released. "Now you won't go through so many sweaters when you eat! Even when this is all over, it is still a good jacket to wear." She explained.

There was even a built in heating unit, and it was strong enough that it would keep his whole body warm rather than having to run fiber optic cables down his body. Snek was given the same jacket, yet his was red, Amai's was baby blue.

Hunter also got Sweet Mask his favorite moisturizer; he kept going through his before he was about to shed. Max and Suiryu got him some winter mittens and hats for his patrolling. Pac got him a heated and weighed blanket.

"This is so… thoughtful… thank you." He said graciously.

The family was surprised to their gifts as well. Yet Hunter noticed the lack of one for him. "In due time, I promise you!" Amai insisted. Hunter nodded in agreement, he wasn't upset, but he appeared to have a hunch as to what it would be. As it all came to an end, everyone offering great gratitude for their presence and the thoughtfulness of the gifts, it was time for breakfast! Amai turned on the TV, just as they announced a monster attack, threatening city Z. His stomach rumbled. "I think mine just arrived. I'll be back." He donned on his new jacket and went out to take care of the threat…


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

New Years eve.

It was almost over.

Today was the last day Amai would be this creature, the last time he will be slithering about to get around, the last time he will have to step foot into the house. Yet, as strange as it was, a part of him… didn't want it to end. He was outside enjoying the sunrise when he felt a presence approach. "Thinking?"

It was Melee as he came to sit next to him, yet offered him a hot cup of tea. He took it graciously. "It's done as of today. There was one thing I have yet to do to ensure Snek and I are even, but Garou won't allow it." He explained.

"Garou is not going to bite you." Melee sighed. "He already told me, just because you did it to Snek, doesn't mean Garou does it to you, not to mention, that wouldn't be pleasant for either one of you."

"I want to clear the slate between Snek and I, what I did… was unforgivable. I was a monster and was willing to kill him to satisfy a simple need of mine that I refused to tend to. I was a fool." Amai paused before he turned to her. "I understand now… I know why I couldn't win your heart, and I completely accept it." He said.

She appeared curious, so he explained that during his time at the house, he observed how she and Garou reacted to each other, how they interacted and got along. He never anticipated Garou on being such a gentleman. Even when there were times she told him to leave her alone, he did so without question or hesitation. Never did he force himself upon her or she do that to him. "I have never seen such love between two souls like that before. I never offered such a thing to you. I truly was wrapped up in myself and my career."

Melee sighed. "I did think about it too… back before I met Garou… I did like you at one point." She confessed. Amai was stunned, but she went on to explain. "It was why I worked so hard for you. But, I never got the attention you gave your fans. Nor a thank you for what I did. I realized then that no matter what happened, I would never be first for anything you do. I wouldn't be your first choice, I wouldn't be your first priority… I wouldn't be first in your heart."

He looked away, ashamed to say the least. "Look on the bright side." She said. "You have learned from this, and I think you may see things a little differently now. If you do, great, this wasn't all for nothing. If you hadn't learned a thing… I would have felt sorry for you. Imagine the great Amai Mask, given an opportunity to change, but never seized it. That would have been a real shame." She stood to go back into the house, but he gently grabbed hold of her hand.

"Melee… thank you." He said. "Thank you for all you did for me, and all you have done for me. I would like to speak with Garou when he has a chance, I have a favor to ask of him…"

#

11:40pm

He lingered outside.

Amai wore his jacket Alley made for him as he took in the night sky, twenty minutes left until midnight. He wasn't alone. He stepped out of the house and came up beside him. Snek stared into the night sky and offered a small glass of champagne to Amai. "Thanks."

"Not like we're going to be up pass midnight anyways." He raised his glass. "To a new year, and new beginnings." Amai nodded and toasted Snek. The two drank and continued to stare up.

"I feel so insignificant…"

"Billions of stars, millions of miles away… yeah…" sighed Snek. "So, what's the first thing you are going to do when you turn back?"

"Shower." Amai said.

"I did that too the moment I changed back, that and a nice thick steak dinner."

"That does sound good."

Snek took a seat on the ground, he looked down at his legs and toyed with his feet. "You know… I thought I really missed these. But in reality I think I was looking for a way of hating myself. I know with legs I can't do nearly half of my strikes in the biting snake fist technique. I can't jump…"

"Who said you couldn't. I did so with ease!"

"You got to remember Amai, despite how you look now. You maybe as long as I was, but I was double your weight."

"I don't see how that is possible, I think I ate far more than you have."

Snek laughed. "Perhaps, but you got a better metabolic rate than me. Then again I never saw you strangle your prey. Maybe I just had more muscle mass than you. Anyway, I thought I missed being human, some aspects I do. But, then there are some that I just don't give a damn about."

"Such as?" Amai questioned.

"Underwear for one!" The two snickered at the notion. Snek then continued to name off other things. "Having to change clothing, do laundry, eat three square meals a day, watch what I eat, trying to keep an eye out for danger so I don't get killed. Granted, I could still be killed in my serpent form. But at least I could take a hit!"

Amai smiled and nodded. "I don't miss the commitments, the obligations to appear, the constant go, go, go of the world… I got to sit back and appreciate it. I got to enjoy my time to myself. I do miss my fans though, and they miss me greatly."

"No shit, I've seen the hero association page where they are have a digital candle vigil until you become human again. Sort of creepy."

He nodded. Just then, Snek's watch went off. "Two minutes." He said and sighed. "You ready?"

"Yes, perhaps we should go inside…"

"Nah, out here is fine, let's not ruin their New Year celebrations." They sat in silence to each other as the time ticked away. Soon, it was in its final moments.

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the house erupted.

Snek and Amai however passed out…


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Amai felt it the next morning.

He was inside the house of Garou, yet slept in the guest room. His head pulsed with pain, and yet as he slowly woke, he noticed his hands… human hands. It was a slight shock at first, but then his mind settled. He eased himself up and out of the bed, everything was as it should be. He took his time getting dressed and noticed his packed bag was in the room. When satisfied with his appearance he grabbed his items and walked out. The family was awake, he paused and stared at everyone at the table before he heard another door open.

Snek slithered out, back to his original serpent form. "Well… I can't say that this was enjoyable… although I will admit some aspects of it were. But, I think I will be on my way now."

"Do you want a lift?" asked Melee.

"No, I am more than capable of obtaining my own ride." He placed on his sunglasses and one of his own sweaters before walking out of the house, he turned one final time and left without another word.

#

Two weeks would pass before the heroes association called for a summery.

Garou and the family along with Snek, Max and Suiryu attended. They were going to have a meeting with the S Class and Sitch, when Amai Mask barged in. "Oh great, he's back!" muttered Tatsumaki.

"Amai, any particular reason why you are here?" asked Sitch. "We were meeting about you…"

"Well then it is a good thing I came. If it was about me, I should be here, correct?" he asked.

Sitch was about to speak when Amai decided to take control of the room. "It has come to my attention that some may say that this little… incident has changed me… I want to set the record straight." He said.

"Some punishment freak boy." Muttered Tatsumaki.

Garou merely growled at her.

Amai cleared his voice. "If… I may…" he stated. "I wish to announce first of all, that I will step aside and allow Hunter to surpass me into the S Class. If there are no objections to that."

The table froze, even Hunter. "Wait, what?" demanded Atomic Samurai.

"Hunter… is to surpass me into S Class… was I not clear?" Amai questioned. "I will personally vouch for his abilities and his character are second to none, he maybe his father's son, but he is nothing like his father."

Sitch froze to the news. "If that is your opinion…"

"Second of all. I no longer have an interest in becoming part of the S Class myself."

"What? You're going to quit?" asked Zombieman.

Amai laughed. "Oh no, far from it. I have a new goal now. I don't want to be an a S Class hero… I want to be an M Class hero."

The room was dead silent now. "You… want to be in the M Class?" questioned Darkshine. "Why? Are we not good enough for you now?"

"Partly and no I don't mean to use this to cause a rift between the two hero groups. I have been among the M Class and have found their abilities and cooperation second to none. I am impressed as to how well they function as a group together and the unity they have. I want to be part of that. Yet, I am aware of the method one become an M Class Dragon. So with that being said. I will wait, if I am offered the opportunity to become a Dragon, I will accept it. If that invite isn't given, I will remain in A class until then."

"Are you shitting me?" demanded Zombieman.

"This isn't the same Amai Mask, Garou was suppose to be tormenting now is it?" asked Flash.

"I have nothing more to say on the subject matter, I would like a private word with Snek though when this meeting is over. I will be outside the hall." With that, Amai left without another word.

The room was still frozen, stunned to say the least to what just happened. Sitch was even at a loss for words. "What did you do to him?" he demanded.

Garou shrugged his shoulders to it all. "I think I broke him?"

#

Twenty minutes later.

Snek slithered out, true to his word Amai Mask was waiting for him. "Snek, a word please."

Curious, Snek followed Amai to another room. He locked the door behind them and looked him into the eyes. "I meant every word that has been spoken between us, and I wish to offer something…" he took out a card and gave it to Snek. It was Amai's home number.

"Uh… I do have a fiancé you do know that right?"

Amai snickered. "I have spoken with Garou on the subject matter. From this moment on, as long as you give me enough time. I wish to take a month from you… being like that. And allow you to be human again." He said.

Snek froze. "What?"

"I want to offer you a break from being like this to be normal, especially for the stepson you will have. It is not much, but it is the least I can do. I have not forgiven myself for what I did to you, when I tried to eat you… that was a dark moment for me. So, from here on, I will take a month and become the blue serpent again, and you can have some time of freedom. But you pick when you want this to occur. I just need to know the sooner the better and I will clear my calendar for the occasion."

Snek still couldn't believe it. "How do I know this is true?" he asked.

Amai laughed as he turned and unlocked the door. "Garou already spoke of it's prophesy, but I can't speak of it. So, once more, give me some notice and I will gladly switch places with you again." With that, Amai opened the door and walked out of the room.

Snek still couldn't believe his ears. Not to mentions, what Amai Mask offered to him.

"Who the hell was that guy?"


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

It was back to the routine.

The TV shows, the talk shows, the movies and then the tour. Amai Mask was kept on the move and was on the go. His manager arranged everything for him, ensuring he got time to get to where he needed to be, and ensure he also had time for himself to eat and rest in between.

As he traveled though, his manager noticed the odd jacket he wore. "That's not designer!" he protested. "Amai, take that thing off, you should know better, you need to be seen with the best product…" he reached for the jacket yet had his hand brushed off to the side.

"It's perfect for me." He stated defiantly. "Just because it isn't designer, doesn't mean it isn't meant to be wore by me. I do not need the public approval of what keeps me warm."

His manager was stunned, but nodded. "You feeling okay? Did you get knocked on the head again? Normally, you wouldn't be caught dead in something inferior like that!"

Amai paused, as he turned on his heels and confronted his manager. "Why does it matter to you so much?" he asked. "This jacket, was specially tailored. No one else except Snek has one. I do not appreciate you mocking a gift made for me!"

"Damn, what happened to you in those four months?"

"A lot, now, moving on. What's the next appointment?"

"You are to do your number one song live on the talk show Evenings with Jim."

"That I am more than prepared for."

"Good, after that, you are done for the day!"

Amai was looking forward to finishing up. He went on the show and did his song, much to his pleasure. It was a hit. He got every note he wanted and conveyed the emotion he wanted to send out. Women cried, men were stunned silent, all in all a good way to end the day.

He returned home to his flat in City R. It was the first time he was really able to take it all in. Nothing changed. He slipped out of his suit and went into the shower. He savored the warmth and the feeling of his toes once more. When he came out, he found a note on the fridge.

" _Figured you needed something good. Melee_ "

He opened it and found some home cooked meals that needed to be heated. He smiled and was quick to partake in the food.

After a hot meal, he set up his bed, using the massive blanket Pac got for him. It overtook the whole surface of his king size bed, but he smiled to it all. Slipping under the covers he savored the weight and the warmth of it, yet, he wasn't enjoying the silence like he use to.

"Why does this not feel right?" he muttered.

It was only 10:30 at night, and yet he couldn't get himself to sleep. Something was off, Amai picked himself out of bed and walked out to the balcony. He overlooked the city for the first time in four months. "You got a nice view from up here."

He jumped at the voice, but settled when he saw Hunter sitting on the edge of the building. "I should have knocked, but that would have been just as creepy."

"Care to come in?" Amai asked.

"Sure, it's colder out here than I thought."

Hunter jumped down and walked into Amai's flat. He closed the balcony door behind him, yet Sweet Mask sighed. "What has your family done to me?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"What… has your family done to me? Normally I would be jumping at the bit to get back to work, to do everything I usually do, and yet now… I feel… hallow." He said. "I fought your father tooth and nail when this whole thing started and me becoming that snake creature. Now… like Snek… I think I miss it."

Hunter smirked. "Is it that? Or do you miss something else? The friendship? The family?" he asked.

Amai turned away rather embarrassed. "I miss all of it," he said. "For the first time… I felt something more than pleasure for what I did… I felt… like I belonged." He paused. "I know your family wishes I suffered a lot more than what I did. I know your father would have been thrilled to see me fight him all the way and agonize being the serpent. I know my punishment isn't done from them either, I accept that too. And yet, despite it all. You treated me like family, I never felt ostracized, abused, abandoned… I mean out of all the things you could have done, it would have been punishment enough! Yet… you all held back. I thought Garou would have been the first to do everything to make my life a living hell!"

"He was tempted." Hunter said, but smirked. "I just had to remind him that despite what he wanted, what you turned into was temporary. When you became Amai Mask again, it could have started the whole feud over again. And you would have gone for blood to say the least. You aren't the type to forgive or forget."

Sweet Mask gave a half smile. "That is true." Amai paused though. "This has become a worst punishment than me being forced to become the serpent monster…"

"Question is, what are you going to do now?" Hunter asked. "What will the great Sweet Mask make of himself? I know you are still going to be merciless when it comes to justice, but for one moment, you did have a mercy. You showed it and gave it."

"What? When did I do that?" he demanded.

"When you deemed the M Class no longer a threat. My father is in M Class and you wanted nothing more than to kill him. Do you still want him dead?"

"A part of me does, but a greater part of me doesn't."

"Focus on the greater part of that. Besides, I think there is much more to you Amai. I have learned from you. Dare I say it, I even consider calling you a friend!"

He paused. "You… consider me a friend?"

"If that offends you…"

"No… not at all… I consider you a friend too. Hunter, I appreciate what you have shown me, and taught me as well. I now wish it was under better circumstance."

Hunter laughed. "You know, I don't think we would have bonded if it were any other situation." He looked to the clock. "I better head home. You going to be okay?"

He nodded. Hunter stuck out his hand, and Sweet Mask shook it. "Until we meet again." Said Amai.

Hunter nodded as he approached the balcony once more. He opened the door and took off into the night. Amai shook his head to it all. "Friends with the son of Garou… Whoever would have thought…"


End file.
